The Shark in the Moonless Night
by The Night Hunter
Summary: The Winter war is over. Traitorous Aizen had been slain. But this is just start of the road for Ichigo. He will find allies and enemies alike in places he least expected, while the Ancient evil is lurking in the shadows and plotting the demise of all worlds. Revised verision of The Shark in the Moonless Sky!
1. Something is Ending

Chapter 1

On the shattered battlefield of crumbled rocks and smoking craters were two men. One of them on the ground, lying defeated. The other victorious and standing, using what remained of his powers.

Ichigo was looking at Aizen's defeated silhouette.

He saw the Hōgyoku separate itself from Aizen and fly right in front of his face, only disappear in a flash of purple light which blinded him for few seconds.

After he regained his sight Ichigo noticed that Aizen was staring at him. He knelt beside him, and asked a question he needed to know...

"Why did you want to become a god?" Aizen watched him in silence, before smiling slightly.

"Because I wanted to change the world around me." His eyes started to lose focus. "I wanted to get rid of the injustice in the Soul Society, it's corruption and arrogance." He coughed up some blood, looking desperately at Ichigo. "The Soul Society was built on a lie Ichigo…and the creature that rules it…it's far more disgusting than any Hollow." He said with hate.

"Do you mean the Captain-Commander?" Ichigo asked, thinking what the old man had done to deserve such hatred.

Ichgio was puzzled when Aizen started to chuckle.

"No... I mean the Soul King." Ichigo's eyes widened. "He is the cancer of Spiritual World, but those fools in the Soul Society are to blind to see it… All I wanted to do was get rid of him." He started to cough again, more blood spilt from his mouth. "They are not aware of what they subject themselves too.."

"Was it worth sacrificing thousands to achieve it? Was it worth it to sacrifice Hinamori?" He asked quietly, expecting some remark of the greater good, or necessary evil, but was shocked when he saw pain on his face.

"I-I couldn't find another way…and I wish I could done something differently….. but if you saw what I had seen, knew what I had known…I was desperate…" He fell silent again for a while. Ichigo lost all hope for him to talk again, he could already feel approaching Reiatsu signatures of his allies and friends. He tried to stand, but Aizen caught his wrist.

"Let me… give you one final warning." Aizen stared at him with the seriousness of a dying man. "Be wary of the Soul Society and it's lies. See what is beneath their words, don't let them put a leash on you in one way or another…cough." Aizen was desperate to tell the boy more, but he knew his time is running out.

"Why are you telling me this?" Ichigo asked in confusion.

"Because…Because..." His body was shaken by violent coughs. "You are much more then you think Kurosaki Ichigo." And then he faded into nothingness, with a small smile that never left his face.

Ichigo decided to think about what Aizen said later.

He looked at the clear blue sky, and only one thought passed through his mind.

'Finally….this nightmare is over…'Ichigo thought wearily before returning his gaze to the slowly disintegrating corpse of the Ex-Captain. His body screamed in pain yet relief flooded over him, soothing his suffering.

The war between Shinigami and Arrancar was over.

The Soul Society had won at last.

But the young substitute Shinigami couldn't savor the taste of victory for long. The sacrifice he made for this victory was drawing closer, robbing him of the last remnants of his power.

An agonizing pain suddenly shot through his body, making him fall to the ground screaming in anguish.

The feeling was so intense that Ichigo felt his consciousness slipping away. The last thing he saw before darkness claimed him were several figures appearing before him.

He passed out before he could see who they were.

* * *

Ichigo was slowly coming back to the world of living. He was lying on something soft and he was warm.

'Kami almighty please don't make me see Tessai when I open my eyes.' He prayed silently, and slowly opened his eyes. To his immense relief he saw unfamiliar wooden walls, empty beds, and medical equipment laid out across the room.

'I'm probably at some hospital.' He deduced…then he tried to get up. He regretted it immediately when his whole body throbbed in intense pain, making Ichigo flinch noticeably.

He hadn't even had the time to get over the sensation when the door to the room swung open, revealing several people trying to enter at once.

"ME FIRST DAMN IT!" Ikkaku shouted, trying to push himself in.

"You wish! In yours dreams baldy!" Renji yelled, slamming his foot Ikkaku's face.

"It's such a vulgar way to get inside, you know?" Yumichika said with a smug smile, as if he wasn't doing the exact same thing.

"Shut up ugly!" Renji and Ikkaku shouted in unison.

"I'll butcher you!" Yumichika screamed in murderous fury, charging blindly at the struggling duo, causing a three way all-out war.

In the short fight that occurred half of the room was laid to waste, and the only thing preventing further damage in the room (including Ichigo's body) was…

"I think that your behavior hardly belongs in a hospital." A calm, soft, and gently voice sounded through the room, sending shivers down everybody's spines.

Renji, Ikkaku, and Yumichika froze in absolute terror when Captain Unohana entered the room.

"I think you shouldn't trouble my patient. He just woke up after all." She said with a "gentle" smile, putting heavy emphasis on the my, slightly worrying Ichigo.

Renji, Ikkaku, and Yumichika felt as if the devil itself was glaring at them.

"Y-Y-Y-Yes ma'am." They shuttered while sweating a great deal.

"Now let's see how our patient is feeling." Unohana stated, focusing her attention on Ichigo.

"I'm feeling fine, thanks." Ichigo quickly replied, trying to wiggle out of the examination.

"I'd don't think so. You have been unconscious for two days, and your injuries haven't healed yet. You should stay in bed." Unohana announced smiling at him, hints of concern in her eyes.

"No, I'm really fine, never been better." He said quickly, while trying to get up.

"Ichigo, you should really stay in bed." She said with the same expression. For some reason Ichigo was chilled to the bone as he felt the "this isn't a request" aura, and some sort of sinister power backing it up from Unohana.

"Y-Yes ma'am." He squeaked in fear.

"Good. Now, the rest of your guests can come in, but only if they behave. But I believe that won't be a issue, will it?" Unohana mentioned while moving towards the doors. Her reply was a choir of, "Yes" and "Of course, Ma'am"s.

After she left, the room was slowly filled with people coming in order and calmly.

"Ichigo!" Rukia exclaimed happiness shining in her eyes.

"Kurosaki-kun!" Orihime wept tears of joy, hugging the life out of Ichigo, causing his abused body even more pain. But being a man Ichigo pretended to be okay.

"Good to see you, you bastard." Ishida said with a nonchalant smile. Ichigo held back the urge to punch him, albeit barely.

"Yo." Chad greeted him with a small smile, and grabbed Ichigo's shoulder gently.

"Ichigoooo!" Matsumoto chirped, slamming her body into his. Then she proceeded to suffocate him with her affection.

'There goes my ribs.' Ichigo thought in pain, hearing his poor bones creak under the pressure.

"Can't…breathe." He managed to wheeze before he lost consciousness from lack of air.

"You're going kill him, let go!" Rukia shouted when she saw him going still.

"Oh my bad." Matsumoto said with a innocent grin.

"EEEEEEEE…I can breathe again..." Ichigo muttered.

"We were so worried about you!" Orihime said, wiping her eyes. Everyone agreed with her statement, giving him pointed looks.

"Sorry that I put you all through that guys. I swear to not do anything like that anytime soon…I hope." Ichigo promised with a relieved grin on his face.

"You better not, or I will personally kick your ass!" Rukia exclaimed, false anger in her voice.

"Yeah us too, Baka!" Renji, Ikkaku, and Yumichika yelled in unison, very real threats in theirs.

"I knew you guys loved me." Ichigo answered with a small laugh, hoping to not escalate things into a fight… yet.

Soon the others started to laugh with him, firing jokes about his state, while Inoue healed him completely.

However the laughter soon died out, being replaced by a tense silence.

"So how was it?" Rukia asked quietly. "Your fight with Aizen." She whispered, the mention of the Ex-Capitan's name soured the atmosphere instantly.

"It was the hardest battle I've ever fought." He replied honestly, staring at his feet while recalling the duel he had. "I don't think without my last technique, I would have made it. He was… a terrifying opponent, I have to give him that." He whispered very softly.

"It's ok. He will no longer haunt you, and you won, saving the entire Soul Society." Rukia said gently, while hugging him.

'If only it was true.' Ichigo recalled Aizen's last words about the Soul King and himself. He knew that those words would haunt him for a long time still. He felt like something very important was being kept from him on purpose, but he had no idea what they could be.

"Okay let's end this depressing subject! Ichigo, two days from now the Soul Society will hold a grand feast celebrating our victory and appointing new Captains. So get dressed and come with us, we are having a private party before th emain event!" Matsumoto exclaimed, a wide grin and mischievous look in her eyes.

"Okay! Getting…" Ichigo stopped remembering Unohana's words.

"Ekhm, I will stay… a little longer." He replied quickly with a petrified face.

"But why? You're all fine, not even a scratch, I healed you perfectly." Orihime said creasing her eyebrows, then she felt a hand on her arm.

"Don't press it, okay? Let him stay a little longer." Renji said, giving Ichigo a knowing look, as were Ikkaku and Yumichika.

"Okay everyone, let's give Ichigo some rest. We'll meet him at the grand feast." Ikkaku said, and started to push everyone out of the room. He turned around, and said with terrified expression "Beware.", before swallowing audibly.

"Thanks." Ichigo replied weakly

* * *

Darkness, all she could see was deep inky darkness. There was no sound, no smells, no nothing around her. She felt numb… She felt like she was floating in nothingness.

Her name was Tia Halibel, Tercera Espada of Aizen's army...

The moment the name of traitorous Captain passed through her mind it brought her back from the numbness only to feel…

Pain.

Pain so horrible that it almost made her lose her mind. Every fiber of her being was screaming in agony. The worst were her left shoulder and stomach for some reason.

But then the answer as to why came as her memories washed back in, along with a head splitting headache.

The city… the battle… kid Captain Shinigami… the two wannabe Arrancars… the betrayal…the burning pain of a sword going through her gut… then falling and falling….

'AIZEN!' Tia seethed, feeling a wave of righteous anger course through her.

He betrayed her!

While she had been fighting off her opponents, Aizen Shunpo'ed behind Tia and delivered a slash, cutting open her belly.

With his ever present superior smirk Aizen announced that she was too weak to serve him. That hadn't seated well with the Arrancar lady. She tried to counter attack, but sadly she was already under the spell of his Zanpakuto, Kyōka Suigetsu. Her sword went through one of his illusions, making her vulnerable to attack. He stabbed her shoulder from behind and dragged his sword down, damaging her body further.

Then Tia started to fall, the last thing she remembered was hitting the ground before she blacked out.

With her memories in order now, Tia tried to stand, but only managed to release a agonizing moan as the pain doubled.

Yet she pressed on, unrelenting and unbreakable, forcing her broken body to move. With inhuman effort she stood on shaking legs and took a step. Each time it felt like she was about to die. Tia could feel her own blood sliding down her skin, a trail of blood surely followed her.

It was like a dream…or rather a nightmare to her. Her vision was blurred, making her head spin. Yet even in such a state she was more or less aware of her surroundings. She could feel the battle raging on, yet she could care less about it.

She couldn't sense the Reiastu of those she cared for. They were weak while she was fighting the young Captain, and now they were completely gone.

That was a hurt that dwarfed anything else she felt. Her Fraccion, her friends, her…family were gone…She was all alone now…

"I must endure." She chanted, taking another step. "Mila-Rose, Sung-Sun, Apacci, I won't let your sacrifices be in vain!" She took a defiant step forward. Tia needed to survive for their sakes.

After an indeterminable amount of time she managed to reach a park. From the looks of it it was old and mostly abandoned. She walked deeper into it, finding a little clearing with a large tree growing in the middle.

She moved to the tree and rested against it, leaning her back against its trunk. She took a shaky breath and started to gather Reiatsu, to accelerate her healing process. But the Human World wasn't as rich in raw Reishi as Hueco Mundo, so it considerably slowed it to an almost snail's pace.

'Aizen…I promise you that I'll end you…no matter what it takes to accomplish it…I swear on my Fraccion's blood.'

Tia closed her teal eyes, using her determination to focus on healing.

* * *

_The Soul Society's Grand Feast had begun._

However the parties, drinking, and singing had already been in process right after the battle, but the big day was today.

The official celebration started at noon, with some (most), Shinigami present having a little trouble standing up straight.

Captain-Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto began the event with a speech about victory gained through the combined effort of all Shinigami, especially Kurosaki Ichigo, which caused a storm of applause. Then Soul Society values and traditions that created strong bonds, and finally the Captain-Commander warning about uncontrollable thirsts for power, and what are the consequences of betrayal held.

After the speech, he announced that the ceremony of appointing the Captains would begin at midnight, on Sōkyoku Hill, and everyone was obliged to show. There were no exceptions he said, looking towards the Visored group.

Then he wished everyone good fun, and dismissed all of them.

"Wow, that was quite the speech." Ichigo stated, while walking toward the Squad 10 barracks, with his friends. Matsumoto was throwing a large party there, much to the torment of Captain Tōshirō Hitsugaya.

"Yep. Good thing that you had been released from the hospital. Otherwise you would miss out on everything." Rukia said chuckling.

"Yeah, right." He replied as he remembered hours of begging and tests to prove he was okay. When he was about to leave Captain Unohana wished him good health, in her usual gentle/scaring the hell out of you voice, and to not get overexcited at the party. Ichigo still shivered from the experience.

"Anyways let's not waste any more time, we might be late for party. They will probably already be so drunk that they won't recognize us when we arrive." Ichigo joked.

"Come on, everybody will recognize their favorite strawberry-head hero." Rukia told him before laughing loudly.

"Why you little... I will get you for that!" Ichigo shouted.

"Catch me if you can. Last one to the barracks is a really big, and cute, strawberry-head." Rukia shouted and ran away.

"We'll see about that." Ichigo chased after her.

* * *

_Five Minutes Later_

"Told ya you would lose." Rukia said with a huge smug smirk on her face.

"Shup up, midget." Ichigo muttered angrily.

"Awww, don't be like that Strawberry-Chan, we have arrived." As soon as those words left Rukia's mouth, men came flying out of the windows.

"Tōshirō's going to love this." He told her, and as confirmation of his words they heard a loud roar.

"MATSUMOTOOOOOOOO!" Toshiro's voice sounded through the nearest area.

"Looks like the party's going on, let's go!" Rukia exclaimed and ran into the barracks.

"Lead the way Rukia." Ichigo replied as he followed her inside. As soon they walked in they saw pandemonium that only people with too much alcohol in their veins could cause.

Of course Rangiku was at the very forefront of it…..

"GUYS! WHAT ARE WE DOIN!?" Matsumoto slurred, swaying like a reed on the wind. She already had a very healthy shade of red on her cheeks, and one very large bottle of sake in her hand.

"WE'RE PARTIN, SIGNIN, AND DRINKIN!" A crowd in similar a state roared back joyfully and with lots of cheering. Ichigo and Rukia noticed that the group was from various squads.

"GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE YOU DRUNK MORONS!" Captain Tōshirō Hitsugaya yelled in fury, but because he was so short he was ignored.

"Toshi come on, don't be such party crusher. Drink with us! We've got the best sake in the Soul Society!" Matsumoto exclaimed with giggle.

"It's captain Hitsugaya to YOU! And I will not tolera-" Tōshirō was interrupted when Matsumoto grabbed him quickly, and started hugging him very tightly to her assets…

"What are you doing?!" He shouted, or at last tried to shout, while struggling to get himself free.

"Toshi you have to understand that after such a victory, the men have the right to celebrate and relieve their stress from battle. Every wise Captain lets his men loosen up once in the while to keep morale high. Having fun once in a while is not a bad thing. I bet Hinamori would enjoy it if you'd take her out sometimes, so what do you say Toshi?... Errr Captain?" Captain Tōshirō Hitsugaya, due to lack of air, fainted a few seconds ago.

"Awww...poor Captain, he must have been so tired that he fell asleep in a place like this." Matsumoto mused, completely oblivious to the actual reason he fainted. She picked him up and took him to his bed room, placing him on his bed…only accidentally hitting his head against a nightstand.

"Sleep well, Toshi." She said gently, looking one last time at Tōshirō.

Meanwhile Ichigo and Rukia were just noticed due to the fact that alcohol severely limited the brain power of the users…

"LOOK ITS KUROSAKI ICHIGO! WAR HERO, DEFENDER OF SOUL SOCIETY! HERO! HERO! HERO…" The crowd started to cheer loudly.

Ichigo was literally mobbed into accepting drinks and telling the crowd the story about his battle. He of course excluded the parts of his training in Garganta and his talk with Aizen.

"Aww I always knew that you were destined to be a hero!" Rangiku said, taking a seat next to him. She leaned against him making sure to press her large chest to his arm, making him blush crimson. "You know you are cute." She whispered into his ear, blowing hot air into it. Ichigo did everything to not squirm. He was not used to something like that.

"Hey guys I think it's about time that we go to the Sōkyoku Hill for the ceremony." Rukia suddenly shouted, glaring daggers at Rangiku, who was still attached to Ichigo.

"Do we have to?" A few Shinigamis lamented, not wanting to part with their drinks.

"Excellent idea!" Ichigo stood quickly, trying to contain his blush. He could swear that Rangiku's lips brushed his ear lobe. "Let's go guys!"

"Yeah, move your drunken asses over there or I will make you!" Rukia exclaimed only to see the room empty as she said that. After Ichigo's statement everyone ran after him, ignoring Rukia completely.

"Wait for me you morons!" She yelled as she quickly followed.

* * *

_Sōkyoku Hill_

"With peace finally restored, it's time to fill the gap that was created among Captains during Aizen's betrayal." Captain-Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto said in a strong, deep and commanding voice.

"Now I will appoint Captains to their Divisions." He stated. "The one's I call step forward and take your Captain Coat."

"I appoint Suì-Fēng as Captain of the Second Division."

"I appoint Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi as Captain of the Third Division."

"I appoint Retsu Unohana as Captain of the Fourth Division."

"I appoint Shinji Hirako as Captain of the Fifth Division."

"I appoint Byakuya Kuchiki as Captain of the Sixth Division."

"I appoint Sajin Komamura as Captain of the Seventh Division."

"I appoint Shunsui Kyōraku as Captain of the Eighth Division."

"I appoint Kensei Muguruma as Captain of the Ninth Division."

"I appoint Tōshirō Hitsugaya as Captain of the Tenth Division."

Each appointed Captain had to move to the Captain-Commander, bow to him, and receive their coat from him. The ceremony was going smoothly, until the prolonging absence of Captain Hitsugaya started to cause a commotion.

* * *

_In the crowd of Shinigami_

"Where in the world is Tōshirō?" Ichigo said as he started to worry for the young Captain.

"Indeed. To be late for such a ceremony is a very serious offense toward the Captain-Commander and the Soul Society." Rukia told him, also starting to grow impatient.

"Yeee wonder if he's still…" Matsumoto stopped as she heard some noise that sounded almost like her name. 'Nah I must be imagining things.' She thought.

"Still what?" Ichigo asked curiously.

"Well, at the party he was making a ruckus so I pulled him into a loooong hug, and explained to him how important is to lie back sometimes. But poor Toshi fell asleep, probably from exhaustion." She explained, with an innocently oblivious face.

'Rather fainted from suffocation.' Ichigo thought, as he recalled a similar situation from the hospital. He started to slowly fear the power of Matsumoto's breasts.

As soon as he had finished his line of thoughts about her bosom, still blushing slightly, he saw Toshi Flash Step before the Captain-Commander. Bowing quickly and taking his coat, he stood in line with the other Captains, behind the Captain-Commander.

Ichigo also noticed the "your life's going be so miserable from now on" look that Toshiro was giving to Matsumoto.

* * *

_Tōshirō's Flashback_

"Hyyyyy….Air!" Tōshirō choked out with his first breath, as he was waking up from his Matsumoto induced coma. Noticing that he was in his bed….he also noted a giant hole in the wall, as a chilly night breeze was getting into the room.

Then he looked at the clock "00:13….." He gasped, feeling fury build inside him. He released it with one long pissed off dragon roar shout. "MATSUMOTOOOOOOOOOOO!"

End of Flashback

* * *

"Ekhm lets continue." The Captain Commander said.

"I appoint Kenpachi Zaraki as Captain of the Eleventh Division."

"I appoint Mayuri Kurotsuchi as Captain of the Twelfth Division."

"I appoint Jūshirō Ukitake as Captain of the Thirteenth Division."

As soon as the Captain-Commander finished a storm of applause fell on the appointed Captains.

The Captain-Commander raised his hand to silence everyone, and said "The ceremony is not over yet." Confusing everyone, including the twelve Captains.

"After a long debate with Central 46, we decided to re-establish the Kido Corps Division." Everyone started to whisper in excitement and curiosity.

"We decided to hand the position to a person who fought valiantly for the Soul Society in the recent war, aiding us in defeating our foes." Ichigo had a really nasty feeling about this.

"Therefore I appoint Kurosaki Ichigo as Captain of the newly restored Kido Corps Division." Captain-Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto looked straight at Ichigo, as if daring him to decline.

Well, to be frank, calling the silence that fell after his words "deadly", would be a humongous understatement. Even nature went silent, as if in shock, after his words. Not even the wind dared to blow.

'WHAT THE HELL?!' Ichigo thought as his pupils widened to the size of dinner plates. Someone pushed him towards the Captain-Commander.

He walked up in a stiff robot-like fashion, performing a stiff bow, almost breaking his spine. He claimed the coat, and went to stand in line with the rest of Captains, (who were probably in greater shock then he was) accompanied by total silence. Everyone seemed to be holding their breaths in the tense atmosphere of utter disbelief.

"With that I conclude this ceremony. You all are dismissed. Go and celebrate for the rest of the night." Captain-Commander stated hitting the ground with his cane. Then he Flash Stepped from the hill.

No one dared to move, everyone was staring at a certain individual who was probably close to a mind break.

"How the hell did this happen?" Ichigo felt so small under the gaze of over 4000 Death Gods.

No pressure whatsoever.

He turned his head to his left and looked at the row of Captains staring at him. Some with curiosity other with surprise...some with bloodthirsty glee, others in confusion and irritation and even in anger.

"What?" Ichigo finally snapped getting annoyed at their stares.

"Forgive us Ichigo-san, but this was unexpected." Unohaha said diplomatically. "We weren't informed about this."

"You weren't? But isn't your opinion or something like that required to become a Captain?" Ichigo asked confused.

"Indeed. You would have to go through the test, or get a recommendation from us…or kill another Captain to take his rank…" Ukitake supported.

"Whoa, whoa slow down here. I didn't kill Aizen for any position or rank, and like hell I don't remember taking any test! And from the look on your faces none of you recommended me…so what the hell is going on here guys?" Ichigo inquired.

"We'll get to the bottom of this, I promise you." SoiFon said glaring at Ichigo for some reason. "There has to be a mistake here."

"What she said, someone had to hit his or her head too hard. Where do I go to resign?" Ichigo looked at them with hopeful expectation.

"Kurosaki Ichigo, being chosen as one of the Captains is the greatest honor a Shinigami can be offered. Resigning mere seconds after nomination will be taken as an insult towards the Soul Society." Byakuya chastised him.

"Honor and pride aside, let's get technical. How I am supposed to lead a Kido Corps if I don't even know Kido!?" Ichigo snapped. "Even Unohaha-san said that I suck at this whole Reiatsu control thing!"

"Pardon me, but I didn't tell you that you "suck", but merely pointed out that your Reiatsu is little rough around the edges. Nothing that can't be corrected with training and meditation." She smiled. "If you wish, I can teach you Kido…Trust me I'll make you a Kido master in no time…or you'll die trying." All that was said with her expression unchanged. Somehow it made Ichigo tremble.

"Maa, Maa don't scare the boy Retsu-san." Kyoraku said. "Listen, maybe, just for the time being, keep the position and we will ask around as to what this is all about ok? Let's not act hastily here."

"But I don't want it! I want to go home, and return to my normal life. How I'm even supposed to balance life here and in the living world?"

"I'm sure you'll think of something." He said with disarming smile. "Now go enjoy the evening. We'll take care of things, so relax." With that he Shunpo'ed away, soon being followed by the rest.

Zaraki, before he departed, gave Ichigo one of his bloodthirsty smiles, while SoiFon continued to glare at him until her departure.

'Geez what's her problem." Ichigo shook his head.

As soon as the Captains left he was literally swarmed by a cheering and curious crowd. He was flooded under an endless wave of congratulations.

After a while Ichigo was finally free, leaving him with only a group of his friends namely Inoue, Chado, Ishida, Rukia, Renji, Ikkaku, Yumichika and Rangiku.

"Congratulations Kuraski-kun." Inoue said with a bright smile.

"Thanks, but I'd rather remain a substitute Shinigami for the time being." Ichigo shrugged.

"Baka! Don't you know what a great honor this is!" Rukia whacked the back of his head.

"Ow! That hurts you know!" He growled, massaging the sore spot.

"Oh don't be a baby Ichigo! And put the coat on, I want to see how you look." Rangiku slurred. "Pwese?"

Ichigo couldn't contain his blush at her cute pout and folded. He exasperatedly put the coat on, and looked at the gathered. "There, happy?"

"I have to say, it suits you." Chado admitted.

"I have to agree." Ishida added, adjusting his glasses.

"Et tu, Ishida?" Ichigo groaned. "Come on even Renji would be better, he at least knows Kido…no matter how lame he is at it." Ichigos snickered.

"You bastard, want to try and back up those words!?" Renji grabbed the hem of his coat.

"Oh I don't know, Vice-Captain Abarai." Ichigo gave him an evil grin, suddenly enjoying his new station. "Is that any way to address a commanding officer?"

In that very moment the Shinigami realized that Ichigo just outranked them.

"Noooo! He became a Captain before me!" Renji wailed.

"Ok this job just got much better hehehe." Ichigo chuckled darkly.

"And don't forget that you get paid!" Rangiku chirped. "A lot actually. You can even change the currency to any in the Human World."

"Seriously?" Ichigo exclaimed. 'Ok now it's definitely not that bad. I get a well-paid job in something I actually excel at.'

"Of course! How do you think we survived when we were sent to help you before the war?" Yumichika said, brushing his hair off to the side. "Not only by depending on other people's kindness, and selling Ikkaku's body to the land lady."

"I told you to never speak of that again!" Said man roared with an embarrassed blush.

"Yuck! I don't even want to imagine that." Rukia make a gagging noise. "Before it gets even more disgusting how about we get to celebrating?

"Hell Yeah!" Everyone cheered, marching back to the 10th Squad barracks.

* * *

_The Next Day_

Rukia yawned while walking through the streets of Sereitei, enjoying the peaceful afternoon. She decided to end the party earlier along with Inoue, Ishida, and Chado, who all returned to Human World. Ichigo on the other hand wasn't allowed to leave until the very last of the party members had fallen asleep.

She initially went to collect his drunk ass from the 10th, where he undoubtedly ended, but she was informed that Hachi already got him and they went to train in Kido.

Suddenly a loud explosion ripped through the air. Rukia ran towards the source of explosion, and saw Ichigo scrambling out of the undoubtedly self-made crater.

"I'm telling you it's frigging impossible for me to do this!" Ichigo grumbled, while trying to extinguish his burning robe.

"You just have to concentrate." Hachigen Ushōda reminded him with a chuckle. Via messenger he was informed that he was appointed as Ichigo's very private tutor by the Captain-Commander himself. Whether he liked it or not.

"I still don't get why they didn't make you Captain instead? You're an experienced Kido Master, trained by the one considered to be the best Kido users ever." Ichigo said as he cooled down (literally).

"Well it's true that my sensei Tessai Tsukabishi-sama is the best, but even I can see you have great potential too. In only a few hours you've learned to use both Bakudō and Hadō up to the 4th level. A remarkable feat for someone who hasn't had any practical Kido training before. You have very good instincts and adaptation, all you simply lack is theoretical knowledge on how to execute spells. Nothing that can't be fixed with time."

"You didn't answer my question." Ichigo pointed out, slightly embarrassed at the compliments.

"To tell the truth, I do not wanted to be a Captain, because I'm not meant to be one. I can guide and teach you Kido, and do some paper work, but I do not hold the qualities of a leader. Something that you have in spades." Hachi said sincerely.

"Thanks." Ichigo muttered, flattered by his teacher's praise.

"Sooo can we call it a day? Feels like we've been training forever." Ichigo almost begged.

"No way I just got here, and from what I can see this is too good to end it now." Rukia interrupted with an evil grin.

"Damn strait! Watching Ichigo's epic fails are wayyy too much fun." Renji exclaimed with a choir of support from the other spectators.

"Come on Ichigo you can do it…Hahaha…you just have to focus…Hahaha…." Matsumoto was laughing her ass off, obviously having just as good a time as the last few days.

"Bwuhahaha!" Ikkaku, Renji, Yumichika, and Kira burst out laughing, pissing Ichigo off.

"Oh I will FOCUS now, if that's what you really want….." Ichigo said darkly as he raised his left hand, straightening his forefinger and starting to chant.

"Seeping crest of turbidity, arrogant vessel of lunacy…." The rest of his words were turned into mumbling. A thick black mist started to form around Ichigo.

"What the hell is he trying to pull?" Renji asked starting to get a very unpleasant feeling.

"That stance and chant have a strange resemblance to… Kuro...hit...sugi." Hachi mused with a growing sense of dread. "Everyone get out of here now!" He shouted in absolute horror feeling a sinister Reiatsu build behind the spell.

"Run to the hills!" Rukia shouted, retreating from the blast zone.

"Run for your life!" Matsumoto yelled, obviously not having such a great time anymore.

"He's friggin' insane!" Renji screamed as he Flash Stepped away from the training grounds in terror, as did every sane creature that felt the oncoming doom.

"Hehehe... suckers." Ichigo said with an evil grin as he stopped the spell "Thanks Aizen." He uttered feeling a sudden gratitude towards the Ex-Captain.

"Alright! Time to go home." He exclaimed happily.

"Ekhm." Hachi coughed politely, tapping his foot.

"Aww, give me a break!" Ichigo wailed.

"I planned to, but it seems that you need a lecture about the dangers of using such deadly Kido." He said in a stern tone.

"Kami kill me now!" Ichigo face-palmed.

* * *

_Human World, Around Midnight_

"Ah it's good to be back." Ichigo said happily, imagining a few days of free time. His plan was mainly sleeping, eating, watching TV, meeting with his friends, and from time to time checking for any Hollow activity.

"Ok let's do one last check, and then time for bed." Ichigo extended his senses, trying to discern any Hollow presences.

"Everything seems alright..." He paused feeling, just on the edge of his senses, a spark of Reiatsu. Only thanks to his very recent Kido training did he managed to feel it. Any less sensitive Shinigami would simply have miss it. Whatever it was it was meant trying to keep its presence hidden.

'Work never ends.' He thought as he flew toward the signature. When he got close enough he recognized the soul structure of the Reiatsu. It was a Hollow's….no an Arrancar's.

'Looks like I will have to deal with some remnants of Aizen's army.' He thought as he landed about five hundred meters from the source.

"Couldn't they choose a nicer place to hide?" Ichigo looked at the deserted park, full of wild bushes, high grass, and old trees.

"Let's see what surprises I can find here." He said to himself while advancing into the bushes. The fact that the only source of light was the moon was not helping. The sky being semi-clouded most of the time made it difficult for Ichigo who was moving through the bushes in near total darkness.

"Shit!" He shouted as he tripped on the root of an old tree, and hit a nearby rock with his face.

'Great, now they know that I am here. There goes the element of surprise.' He thought bitterly, while massaging his forehead.

He got out of the bushes and entered into a clearing, an old sakura tree in the dead center of it. Despite not being able to see anything, Ichigo could feel the presence of something right in front of him under the tree. He took a fighting stance, drawing Zangetsu, and slowly advanced towards the Arrancar. Moving forward, the moonlight started to slowly illuminate the clearing.

When the moonlight had finally reached the sakura tree, he saw the person who was sitting under it.

It was a female Arrancar. An extremely beautiful female Arrancar….

'Do not think about it.' He thought with blush.

**'Oh please do…**' His Inner Hollow whispered from the back of his mind. Ichigo dreaded to think what he want to do with her.

From what Ichigo could see, she was in bad state. He noticed that she had some barely healed wounds on her belly and arm. He also noticed her very, unusual outfit. She wore a long sleeved top, that covered half of her face, and that reached to her breasts, stopping half way down them. This left a healthy dose of her bosom visible. Ichigo fought hard to contain his growing blush, not that her taught exposed belly helped that. Below her waist she wore a long white skirt, tied by a black sash. He also notice that it left the sides of her waist and upper thighs visible.

Yet the most noticeable parts were large dark stains on it. Ichigo guessed that it must been blood…lots of it.

Regardless he continued his observation. Her skin was tanned and she had messy blonde hair that was sticking to her face. He couldn't see any more of her face since it was covered by her jacket's high collar.

But what he could tell was that she was looking at him with caution and determination in her eyes. Despite the obvious wounds and fatigue she held her self tensely, ready to try and defend herself, much like a cornered mouse.

"Yyyyyyyyy….Hi?" Ichigo said dumbly. Hearing those words the mysterious Arrancar lady tried stand up, only to give a quiet cry of pain and start sliding back down.

Ichigo moved to catch her, which almost cost him his head. She tried to slash him with her unique sword, scaring the hell out of him.

The sword was really strange, it had a European-like hilt, and the blade itself was empty inside leaving only the edges of it.

The Arrancar leaned heavily against the tree trunk, losing her battle with gravity, but held a sloppy defensive stance while gasping for air. Ichigo noticed that the sudden movement re-opened some of her wounds, making blood flow again.

'She will pass out any minute now.' Ichigo thought looking at the wounded Arrancar. But when their eyes met he saw nothing but a pure defiance riddled with a lot of pain. That made him feel a little guilty that he was causing it even indirectly. Wanting to ease the tensions he sheathed his blade, raising his hands up in surrender. He also took a few steps back to give her some space.

"Easy now, I'm not going to hurt you." He explained calmly, greatly surprising the Arrancar lady.

"Then…what you're here for?" She asked after a moment of silence, suspicion prominent her tired tone.

"Well…I was patrolling the area and felt your Reiatsu, so I came to check." Ichigo said.

Tia watched him in silence, closing her eyes briefly to push the pain back, so she could think clearly.

"What...what are you going to do with me now?" The Hollow asked in a pained calm after some time, confusing Ichigo. For some strange reason he didn't want to fight her, and it only made him more so.

"Maybe we can start with introductions. I'm Kurosaki Ichigo subs... Captain of the Kido Corps Division." He said, a little annoyed as he had to remember his new position.

"Kurosaki... Ichigo." She repeated slowly wincing every so often. "Y...you're the Shinigami that Aizen was interested ...in."

"Yep that's me." Ichigo replied. "May I have your name?" He asked, and after rather longer pause he lost all hopes of hearing it.

"I'm… Tia Halibel… the 3rd Espada." As soon as those words left her mouth she slid to the left. Ichigo realized that she just used what was left that kept her conscious, and ran to catch her before she fell. Luckily this time there was no response from blonde.

'Ok... so what do I do with her now?' He thought, as he lifted her bride style. Her head fell against his chest, allowing him to see more of her face. The first thing he noticed were the dark bags under her eyes…and the fact that she smelled quite a bit. 'Well what should I expect if she was lying here for days.'

With that thought he headed towards the only person he thought might be able to help, Inoue.

* * *

_Earlier with Tia_

The pain…it was slowly leaving her body. Her healing process started to finally show some results. Now Tia's body was numbing. Yet compared to the last few days it was a welcome and pleasant happening. She would have healed up faster, but she had to scare off other Hollows which attempted to feast on her, resulting in wasting Reiatsu.

Suddenly her eyes snapped open.

'What….is…that?' She thought, feeling a very powerful presence. 'A Shinigami? No it's more like an Arrancar, but…' She was confused because she couldn't figure if it was one or the other. 'Maybe it's one of those Visored? But this Reiatsu feels familiar…' She hazily pondered, hoping that the person wouldn't notice her. Her hope were quickly crushed when the presence started to get closer.

'So this is it…' A sad sigh escaped her mouth. She grabbed her sword and brought it closer, feeling comfort in holding the familiar hilt. She wouldn't go without a fight, no matter how weak she was. Again she was struck by how familiar this Reiatsu felt.

"shit!"

She heard a loud yelp from the bushes.

'Well they aren't a subtle are they.' She thought lightly. She already knew that her days have been counted, but Tia probably had a few more minutes to live.

'I couldn't even take my revenge on the bastard Aizen.' She thought bitterly, closing her eyes. She allowed herself to get lost in her memories for few seconds. She recalled the good memories she had with her Fraccion, but even those were tainted by regret. Tia wished that she were more open with them, and maybe participated in some of their arguments they liked to much. 'It's all too late now….'

Not a second later she spotted a silhouette coming out of the bushes. She noticed that it was a male, with orange hair and a large sword. For some reason he was wearing a Captain's Coat.

'So young.' Was her first thought, recalling another young Captain. This Captain stepped out of the shadows, and realization hit Tia like a ton of bricks. It was the same boy that fought against Grimmjow in Las Noches. Even then she had doubts about his origins. His Reiatsu had even more of a Hollow feel than the others.

Lost in her thoughts she almost missed his intense stare. His eyes seemed to glow in the darkness, piercing her very soul. She started to feel a little bit uncomfortable under his gaze.

It was like looking in the eyes of another Hollow.

'It must be my imagination. He surely can't be thinking of devouring me.' Tia thought slightly anxious, but she couldn't be aware of what Shinigami's lower instincts were thinking just that, though not in the way she imagined.

Finally their eyes met.

"Yyyyyyyyy….Hi?" The stranger said. She tried to get up quickly, rather from reflexes than from actual intention. Pain returned in full force making her lose balance. She had seen the Shinigami moving quickly towards her. Forcing her hand to move she slashed her sword, aiming for his head. If she was going down it would be in a fight.

Yet she also noticed the surprised look on his face, like he wasn't expecting a counter attack.

'Did he really think I would just give up?' Tia questioned internally with no small amount of anger. Recently too many Shinigami thought of her as weak.

But what the he did next, truly stunned her. He sheathed his sword and raised his hands in a surrendering manner.

"Easy now, I'm not going to hurt you." Tia watched him for few seconds, looking for signs of deceit, but she had found none.

"Then…what are you here for?" She finally asked eying him closely.

"Well…I was patrolling the area and felt your Reiatsu, so I came to check." The stranger said. Tia had a hard time believing in such a coincidence. If he was a Captain he had to have been ordered to look for her specifically.

'Perhaps they want no chance of any retaliation.' She thought glaring at the man in front of her. She could do it all night, she was too tired for that. But it was better to cut the chase quickly, it's not like she could defeat him now, at her best maybe, but her current state was very far away from best.

"What...what are you going to do with me now?" She asked him as calmly as her shaking voice could manage. Tia saw some sort of conflict on his face, but she didn't feel any hostile intent from him. 'Strange…' She thought, puzzled because wasn't he supposed to kill her?

"Maybe we can start with introductions. I'm Kurosaki Ichigo subs... Captain of the Kidō Corps Division."

"Kurosaki... Ichigo." Tia repeated, confirming her earlier suspicions. "Y... you're the Shinigami that Aizen was interested ...in."

"Yep that's me." Ichigo replied. "May I have your name?" He asked, in what she guessed was a casual tone.

"I'm… Tia Halibel… the 3rd Espada." She answered before she even thought about it. Suddenly her body and mind finally gave in. Tia felt her whole body shut down, the effort to stand and defend sapping what she had left. At some point she felt her legs gave up and she fell.

Tia watched Ichigo rushed towards her. She closed her eyes, resigned to her fate, but instead of the pain, she felt a pair of arms wrap around her.

Before she lost her consciousness she remembered being lifted by very warm comforting arms.

* * *

_Meanwhile at Orihime's House_

"So tired." Orihime yawned, finishing her homework. She stretched back, feeling her joints pop back in their right places.

"00:45... looks like it's time for bed." She packed her books and notebooks into her bag, and prepared to take a shower.

Then she heard the doorbell. She wondered who could be visiting her at such a late hour.

"I'm coming!" She yelled, moving to open the doors

"Oh it's you Kurosaki-san. What are you doing…." Inoue paused as she noticed what, or rather who, Ichigo was carrying.

"Who is that?!" Orihime exclaimed, seeing the battered and bloodied woman in Ichigo's arms. Her formerly white attire was now painted red, with large stains of blood all over. Not to mention all the grime and dust on it. "Wait, I have seen her before…in Las Noches!"

"Yeah, her name's Tia Halibel, and she was third Espada. Can we come in, she really needs your help, Inoue." Ichigo asked with urgency. He felt Tia's blood seeping through his fingers the whole way here.

"O-Of course! Let me get some towels, and we'll put her on sofa!" Inoue quickly ran back inside.

"Can you call Ishida and Chad? Tell them that it's a very important matter and they have to come right now. I'll get her settled." Ichigo said while entering Orihime's house.

It was just as he remembered, warmly yellow painted walls, some paintings on it, a set of wooden furniture, and in the middle of living room was sitting a big white sofa with a lot of soft pillows, surrounded on both sides by armchairs.

Inoue came back with towels, and spread them on the sofa, allowing Ichigo to put Halibel on it. He tried to be as gentle as possible hoping to not upset her in injuries further.

He fell into a nearby chair, exhausted but not from carrying her. His mind was racing all over the place with what he was getting himself into and what he was going to tell the S.S.. Ichigo took in the sight of the sleeping Arrancar. In the light he could see the full extent of the wounds. In addition to the life threatening wounds she was covered in bruises and scratches.

'She must've been through a lot of pain for a long time.' Ichigo thought with sympathy.

He also wondered how she survived in this state the whole time. It's been nearly three days since the battle with Aizen.

He felt a spark of respect toward the Arrancar lady, admiring her determination… and not only that. He quickly regained his composure as Inoue walked into the room looking at Ichigo with hesitation.

"Ishida-kun and Chado-kun will be here in fifteen minutes." Orihime said, her glance turned to unconscious Arrancar.

"So what do we do with her?" She asked hesitantly, not sure about the whole situation. And the way that Ichigo looked at her…. disturbed her somehow.

"Can you heal her?" Asked Ichigo.

"Are you sure about that, Kurosaki-kun?" She asked.

"I….am." Ichigo answered with some uncertainty in his voice, but something was telling him that it was the right thing to do, or at least what he hoped was.

"Ok….. Soten Kisshun: I Reject." Said Orihime, and an orange energy ball formed around Halibel.

"It will take a while Kurosaki-kun." She told him.

"Ok thanks. Would it be alright to wait for explanations until Ishida and Chado arrive?" Ichigo asked, taking a more comfortable position in the chair, keeping an eye on Halibel. He wasn't even sure he had an explanation yet, considering it all happened so fast.

"Ok." Orihime nodded turning her attention to task at hand.

After fifteen minutes the doorbell rang again, signaling that the rest of the group just arrived. Ichigo opened the doors, and lead them inside.

Ishida and Chad entered Inoue's living room only to gawk in shock at the unconscious woman. The first one to speak was Ishida. As the most calm and composed person in the room, he stated that the most logical and correct thing to say, while minding his high class manners.

"Are you out of your damn mind!?" Ishida growled, glaring at the sleeping Arrancar.

"I agree with Ishida. Ichigo what is the meaning of this?" Chado asked with a calmer, but still annoyed tone.

"Well maybe I'll start at the beginning." Ichigo said with a sigh, telling them how he found Halibel. After his story ended the room was filled with an awkward silence.

Again Ishida was first to speak.

"Ichigo…" Said Ishida with gentle smile and compassion in his eyes, "Are you out of your damn mind!?" He finished gasping for air.

"Do you have any idea what will happen when the Soul Society discovers that you are harboring an Arrancar? Not to mention the 3rd Espada?!" Ishida exclaimed again, a stunned expression on his face, not believing in stupidity of his friend.

"What was I supposed to do then, kill her?!" Ichigo snapped, but he already knew the Quincy's answer, and it pissed him off even more.

"YES! She is an Arrancar, an enemy!" Ishida shouted angrily.

"Well I don't kill the defenseless, first thing! Especially not a defenseless woman! And if I was supposed to kill my enemies, you wouldn't be here yourself, would you?" Ichigo yelled furiously back at Ishida. For some reason the fierceness in his voice to spare the Arrancar angered Inoue slightly, and she wasn't sure why.

"If you put it like that…. I suppose it isn't the necessarily the right thing to do." Ishida said as he settled down a bit, feeling somewhat like a bastard… for the moment.

"What you are planning to do with her after she wakes up?" Chado asked with a conciliatory tone.

That was the million dollar question, one that Ichigo had been asking himself since the moment he found her.

He knew what would happen to her if he turned her in to the Soul Society. At best life-long imprisonment, and at worst painful interrogation to obtain information, then public execution.

He felt a shudder go down his spine. He immediately started to think on an option two. Well it was immediately out voted he couldn't let her go either.

She was too strong to roam free. Ichigo was totally out of ideas for what to do with her. Then he answered, feeling the united pressure of his friends on him.

"I really don't know what to do with her. After she wakes up I will speak with her, and decide what to do then." Ichigo said dryly.

No one had anything to say more to say, but gave Ichigo blank unbelieving stares.

"Uhh…" All of them jumped when they heard a soft moan coming from the topic at hand.

Halibel rose slightly, helping herself up with her elbows, just to see a group of four humans staring at her, stunned expressions all around.

"Where am-" She didn't finish, as realization dawned on her when she recognized the orange hair Shinigami Captain. Her eyes widened with every second.

"Hi…?" Ichigo said hesitantly. He was wondering how to start any decent conversation, but the only experiences with the Espada he had up until now were either killing them, being nearly killed by them, or being followed around by them (Nel). That wasn't much help in this situation though.

Tia on the other was looking at him in disbelief. She was sure that she wouldn't wake up, or at the least would do it in prison mat, not on a soft sofa. Not to mention she felt…better. Like she hadn't been suffering from any injuries at all. Looking around the room she deduced that this was probably at Ichigo's home, albeit it seemed a bit womanly so it might be the only girl in the room's home.

'Orihime Inoue.' She recalled her name from the time she was held prisoner at Las Noches. Then her eyes widened further, realizing that the girl was the reason she was even moving.

She healed her.

The atmosphere tensed with every second of silence from the quiet Hollow. She was looking around the room and all of them respectively, gauging them, analyzing them.

At last her eyes stopped at Ichigo and remained there. He noticed that she had teal irises. Yet after a while her silent staring started to make him uncomfortable.

"So… could you tell me what you were doing in the park?" He asked, hoping that she would at least reveal her intentions.

There was that silence again. She was looking at him cautiously, as if expecting him to attack her any second. The distrust on her face almost made Ichigo cringe.

"I have no quarrel with you." She finally answered.

'Good. It felt like that took an eternity to hear.' Ichigo thought, happy that he didn't have to draw his sword against her…yet.

"So with whom do you have a quarrel?" Ishida asked, in his oh-I'm-so-much-better-than-you tone, plus he was annoyed.

Halibel didn't answer, but Ichigo noticed that her eyes narrowed slightly

'Not good.' He had to do something quickly, or the whole district would end up as a smoking crater in the subsequent fight.

"Okay I think that's enough. She said that she has no ill will towards us. So let's all calm down a bit." Ichigo said as he started to get up.

"I will take her to Urahara's shop, and we'll decide to what to do with her there." He told them. Halibel didn't very much like the idea of putting her life in a Shinigami's hands, but until now he hadn't shown any sign of malicious intent. So she could cope with this kind of treatment…. for now.

"Can you walk?" Ichigo asked Halibel.

"Yes." She answered with her emotionless tone, as she slowly tried to get up. For some strange reason her wounds were closed, and her clothes were repaired. She made a mental note to ask the Shinigami what happened. Then she remember one more thing…

"Where is my sword?" Halibel asked in that same tone, but the reaction of the humans was far from emotionless. Ishida summoned his Quincy bow and aimed it at her. Chad called upon his arms and the strange powers they held. One of the arms was white with red lines on it, and the other was like a black shield with the purple lines, forming some sort of face on the shield. Inoue held her hands close to her temples. Ichigo was immediately between the hammer and the anvil, literally.

"Whoa, whoa, take it easy guys!" Ichigo yelled, sweating intensively. He knew who was going to be hurt in case of crossfire.

"Just…just calm down, and let me explain." He was nervously trying to not let violence get the better of the group.

"Tia… Halibel... I have your sword with me, but I can't return it to you for obvious reasons. I don't trust you yet. So I will have to keep it…for now." Ichigo hoped that the Arrancar wouldn't feel offended by his lack of trust, but on the other hand he wasn't so stupid as to trust the enemy immediately. That was usually always a mistake (excluding Nel of course).

"Understood." She said calmer. The fact that the Shinigami used her name so causally disturbed her though. He wasn't that familiar with her to be allowed such, but looking at her situation she decided to not voice it.

"See? Now let's lay down our weapons. Halibel and I will go to the Urahara's, and there we'll come up with what to do next. It'll be safer there for everybody." Ichigo emphasized his last sentence with a knowing look toward the human part of the group. It dawned a moment later on what he meant, and they lowered their weapons. He sighed, slightly disappointed in his friends' extreme reactions, but still understood.

"Fine, but I hope you don't end up regretting it later." Ishida said giving Halibel a death glare. Halibel thought that she should feel offended. He was looking at her like some sort of rabid animal.

"Watch your back Ichigo." Chado said, with the same type of look.

'Now I am offended.' Halibel through in irritation, because they treated her like some sort of heartless monster. Well she didn't have a heart, but she never consider herself a monster. She never betrayed anyone who showed her kindness, and never will. It wasn't in her nature. Ichi…. The Shinigami didn't do anything that threatened to harm her, so she would treat him the same way. Up to the point something changed.

"Take care Kurosaki-kun." Orihime whispered.

"I will. Ok let's go." He said motioning for the Arrancar to follow, and walked to the door. After a second Halibel followed him out, leaving the trio alone.

"So what are we going to do now?" Chad asked worriedly. He noticed Ichigo's strange behavior, but couldn't think of a reason for it. He was way overprotective of that woman.

"Don't tell me that he turned into an Arrancar-loving Shinigami?" Ishida questioned with an angry tone.

"No way, that's impossible!" Orihime exclaimed quickly, maybe a little too quickly. Both the men in the room exchanged a look.

"Don't worry Orihime. I didn't mean he was loving towards that one in particular, but as a whole." Ishida explained a knowing smirk on his face.

"Of course, I knew that." She said blushing fiercely. She had to admit that the Arrancar lady was attractive. Even beneath all that blood and grime.

"Of course." Chad said giving Orihime another knowing look, making her blush even more.

"Anyway, now is not the time to be discussing this! We have a bigger problem!" She exclaimed embarrassed.

"We know, we were just teasing you. I think that we should watch Ichigo closely for now on, and see what he will do with the Hollow." Ishida said.

"Maybe we should inform the Soul Society about this?" Inoue suggested. That should get the Arrancar away him.

"No. If the Soul Society finds out that Ichigo is helping an Arrancar he will be in big trouble, and they may even accuse him of treason. You know what the punishment for that is." Chad said, slightly shocked at Inoue's suggestion.

"I know, but… this just isn't right. After what they've done to us." She sighed.

"Yes, but if Ichigo had just killed her while she was defenseless, he wouldn't be any better than them. And we wouldn't want that, would we?" Chad asked her.

"Guess not." Inoue replied, but inside she wasn't so sure.

"But one day that softness may very well be his downfall." Ishida said grimly.

"Maybe, but let's hope it won't happen any time soon." Chad admitted.

"Ok, so for now we'll watch Ichigo and his Arrancar." Inoue was startled when Ishida referred to the blonde Arrancar as Ichigo's. "So if anything happens we can act quickly."

"Fine. For now let's head back home." Chado said yawning. Ishida and Orihime nodded as they too felt very exhausted, and they knew why.

* * *

_The Way to Urahara's Shop_

Winter was slowly retreating, but the night was still very chilly. They'd been walking through the suburban area, full of traditional late XX century Japanese one family houses. The houses were close to each other, with the idea of putting as many people as they could in the smallest area. They were built in the same pattern throughout the entire area.

Medium sized one floor buildings, a small garden in the front, and the average human height fence. All of the fences were connected, so the streets appeared almost like the tunnels. Streetlights illuminated their way, as they went along it in absolute silence. Ichigo noticed that Halibel was trembling slightly, and guessed it was because of her… summer uniform.

'Strange… She should maintain her body temperature with her Reiatsu.' Thought Ichigo for a while, before summoning the courage to ask her.

"Are you cold?"

"No, I'm fine." She said in her emotionless tone.

"I don't think so." Ichigo stated firmly.

"I see you've been observing me quite closely." She stated, causing Ichigo to turn scarlet.

"I don't…I mean…not in this way… ah never mind. Why you don't keep yourself warm with your Reiatsu anyways?" Ichigo asked puzzled by her behavior, while trying to maintain his composure.

"I don't want more Shinigami to notice me. So I must suppress my Reiatsu." She answered calmly.

"Ah I get it. Fine so we will have to do this the old fashioned way." He said, and proceeded to take off his Captain's Coat.

Tia gave him an icy stare, daring him to do anything more.

"Whoa! Easy. Here I'm just lending you my coat, so you can keep warm." He said with a genuine smile.

She stared long and hard at the offered piece of cloth, just as a person would stare if someone would offer them a poisonous snake.

"I don't think that's appropriate." Tia finally said. She had never worn other people's clothes, much less a Shinigami Captain's.

"It doesn't matter whether it's appropriate or not, as long as it will keep you warm." He answered honestly extending his arms. She hesitatingly took it and put it on. The sensation of warmth was a welcome one.

"You have my... gratitude." Halibel was feeling really awkward draped in someone else clothes. The feeling of the unfamiliar warmth of the coat was really unsettling her, but not necessarily in bad way.

Not to mention the scent. Arrancar had much more sensitive sense of smell than humans or Shinigami, so she could precisely tell what kind of smell Ichigo had.

He smelt like… the sea. The smell of the sea made her remember... things about her pre-Hollow life. She pushed those thoughts away quickly, since it didn't matter anymore. The scent of a person could tell her a lot about them. For example Grimmjow and Nnoritora reeked like battlefields, bloody. Ulquiorra lacked any smell at all. Baraggan's was like some cheap suffocating cologne, that was supposed to be rich and noble. And Stark smelt like… old people.

But the scent that was around Ichigo was giving her a nostalgic feeling. She knew the sea could be calm and steady one second, but another second later it might be wild and dangerous, devouring everything in its path. She was wondering if Ichigo was that kind of man.

As they continued walking she noticed that Ichigo was gathering his strength to ask her another question. From the look on his face he didn't know how to ask it though.

'Should I indulge him?' She thought, weighting her options. She decided that it would be better to answer some questions now that they were alone. If he had a hidden agenda she had a better chance of escaping now then later. "You want to ask me something, don't you?" She said, noticing that she had caught him off guard.

"Well…I do," He replied confused, scratching the back of his head. "Alright, mind telling me how you ended up in the park?" He asked a little uncertain. He already had his suspicions on how she got there. He recalled Tōshirō telling him about a female Arrancar that was cut down by Aizen, back in the Fake Karakura Town battle.

"I was betrayed by Aizen, because in his opinion I wasn't worthy to be fighting for him. He cut me down and left me to die. I managed to leave the battlefield and reach this park. I remained there healing my wounds until you found me." She tried to remain calm, but the growing anger started to get the better of her.

Ichigo could clearly hear the bitterness in her voice. Yet his respect for her soared. To receive such wounds as those, and survive without any help for that long, was impressive.

"So what are you planning to do now?" Ichigo was really worried, her future was dependent on the answer to this question. The idea of them having to fight to the death saddened him.

**'You're soft, Kingy**.' Hichigo hissed, but Ichigo as per usual ignored his ramblings.

Oblivious to Ichigo's problem Tia watched him warily. She knew that her immediate future was in his hands especially without her weapon, he could undoubtedly end her.

She knew that she couldn't die as long as Aizen was alive. She was aware that he was probably defeated, that much was obvious, but he was most probably contained somewhere rather than dead.

She had to correct that.

"Like I said, I have no quarrel with you or the Soul Society." That wasn't true, she still was furious about the Captain-Commander killing her Fracción, but they were enemies so killing them was his sad duty. Still she held anger toward him. "The only one I want is Aizen. He will die by my hand, even at the cost of my own life." She spat, her voice dripping with venom. Ichigo stopped suddenly as he heard this.

"So you're saying that you endured all that pain in order to have your revenge on Aizen?" He asked carefully.

"Yes." She replied a little unsure why he'd stopped so suddenly. Moreover the look he was giving her…was that pity? She didn't understand his strange behavior, not one bit.

'Uh… how do I tell her that I already killed Aizen.' Ichigo thought, while looking at Halibel in a slight panic. 'She won't take this news easily.'

As the silence prolonged, Halibel started to feel little more uncomfortable under young Shinigami's gaze.

Ichigo swallowed hard, rubbing his neck uncomfortably. Finally sighing he decided to break the news to her.

"Halibel... I don't know how to say this, but… Aizen is already dead." Ichigo could almost feel the burning gaze that she was suddenly giving him.

"What…did you say?" She whispered darkly, but she felt like some other person said it. Like it wasn't coming from her. Her mind went blank. 'No….'

"Aizen is dead. He was killed in the battle over Karakura Town." Now Ichigo was really worried about her. It seemed like someone drained all the life from her.

Halibel felt her ankles starting to go soft and her shoulder slumped. With just three words the young Shinigami devastated her reason for being.

Aizen was killed.

That one sentence replayed over and over again. Her only reason to live, vengeance, was now gone. All that suffering was for nothing.

"W-who did this?" She asked in low, dangerous voice. Some rational part of her brain told her that it was the most likely outcome multiple times, but she wished so strongly that Aizen was still alive. So she could murder him herself.

'Not good… This is really not good.' Ichigo thought backing away a bit.

Halibel raised her head, and stared into his eyes. She saw confusion, guilt and… fear. She realized what that meant.

"You… you did it." Now she really sounded like predator ready to attack. But instead of the attack Ichigo expected, a black gate opened behind her. Tia turned on her heel and stared to walking into it.

Ichigo moved instantly and grabbed her wrist stopping her. "Let me go." She said with a tone that could freeze hell.

Ichigo gulped, but held her in a firm grasp.

"Hueco Mundo is being patrolled by Shinigami, you will die if you go back there." He warned her.

"I don't care." Tia looked into his eyes. Ichigo felt a pang of pain when he saw the empty, detached look in her eyes. She truly hadn't cared. "I don't have a reason to live anymore, allow me to fend for myself until I perish."

Those were probably the saddest words Ichigo ever heard. Her tone made them even worse.

"You surely have something to live for!" Ichigo pleaded.

"You just took it." She whispered offended. She tried to yank her hand again, but Ichigo kept an iron grip on it. "Let. Me. GO!"

"No!" Ichigo pulled Tia against him. Due to the slippery pavement and the force behind the pull, Ichigo slipped dragging her down with him. So now they were both on the ground with Tia on top of him.

Ichigo might have enjoyed the position if not the raised fist that was coming alarmingly fast at his face.

He tilted his head to the side avoiding the fist, allowing the pavement to take the punishment.

He could hear it crack under the hit. Immediately he saw he going for her weapon strapped to his back.

Acting fast he twisted his legs and managed to shift their weight, pushing Tia off him and then instantly pinning her to the ground.

He was now sitting on the waist of the struggling woman, holding her wrists firmly.

"Tia calm down!" He snapped.

"Don't you dare use my name!" She spat, struggling harder. "Release me!"

"Not until you calm down, T-…Halibel." Ichigo corrected himself, not wanting to upset her even more.

Tia stopped her chest rising and falling quick, but she slowly calmed her breathing. She tried to contain her emotions, but they were easily escaping her. She was tired, angry, sad and lonely.

"You took everything I had left to me…" She whispered all her energy leaving her. Ichigo felt how her tense body went limp. "Why can't you understand that boy?"

"Understand what?" He asked, fearing the answer. Tia's eyes were so full of hurt and despair that it made him want to comfort her…if he only knew how.

"Do you think that letting me…forcing me to live is merciful? I lost my Fracción, as well as all my comrades. My home is probably in ruins by now after your invasion, so I have no one left and nowhere to go. And you took my vengeance. Tell me, what reason do I have to live?" The quiet agony in her voice was killing Ichigo. She wasn't even looking at him now, just having that infamous thousand mile stare. "Just let me end the suffering that is my life…" She moved her unfocused gaze to him with her silent plea.

Just now Ichigo realized how beautiful her eyes were, even if they were filled with sadness. Ichigo slowly let her go, but she hadn't even bothered to stand. She was just lying there looking at him, silently begging him to…

Kill her

Ichigo gritted his teeth, cursing Aizen with the most vile vulgarities he knew. He wished that he could kill him again for causing such pain to the woman that was now lying at his feet.

"Thank you." He had heard a quiet whisper, and saw that Tia closed her eyes. With horror he realized that she misread the object of his hateful expression. She thought that Ichigo was going to kill her.

Hardening his resolve he kneeled and slid his arms under her back and knees, lifting her bridal style.

Her eyes snapped open, and she looked at him in shock.

"What are you doing?" She asked ready to struggle, even if she was too exhausted to.

"I'm taking you to Urahara, and then we'll help you somehow." He said adjusting his grip, and she was shocked into submission. Tia watched him in silence for few moments.

She couldn't understand why he was doing this. He had absolutely nothing to gain by helping her, even more he could be in trouble because of it. After a few minutes her curiosity got better of her.

"Why?...Wasn't I your enemy?" She asked quietly. "There's no benefit in helping me."

"Azien was not you…and I'm not doing to gain something. I'm doing it because it's the right thing to do." He said with passion. "No one should be left alone like this."

"Maybe I deserved it?" She replied leaning her head against his chest. She was looking at her hands so she missed the blush on his face.

"You don't seem like a bad person Halibel-san." He told her. "I've met many different Arrancar, and I can say that only a few were like you…. good people."

They marched for few more minutes in silence. When they almost reached the shop Tia spoke again.

"What reason do I have to live?" She asked and hated herself for it. She sounded so lost and weak, she didn't want his pity, but she knew that she was getting it, especially with such questions. She closed her eyes and again tried to calm the storm that was raging inside her.

She was lost and had nowhere to go. What reason had she to live for?

"I don't know." He admitted truthfully. His words hadn't even hurt, just brought a sense of serenity. His admittance gave her the closure she- " But I'll help you find one!" He suddenly said with vigor, making her look at him with wide eyes.

His brown eyes were so full of passion and determination, that they made her face grew hot for some reason.

"So don't give up Halibel-san! I'll help you look for a reason to live. I promise you that much! So until we find it stay alive! I bet your Fraccion wouldn't want you to give up like this!" He said hotly. "They would want you to push on and find happiness!"

Tia was left speechless after his tirade. The young man had so much power in his eyes. So much conviction in his voice that she almost believed him. But she was so tired of losing those precious to her…

"Don't lose hope Halibel-san, that's the worst thing you can do." Ichigo said gently, seeing that the glint in her eyes that his speech created starting to diminish. "I promise you that it will be alright." He seemed to hug her a bit tighter to himself.

Tia swallowed hard, unable to form a sentence. Maybe it was just the culmination of physical and mental weariness, but she believed him. She believed that everything would be okay.

She took one trembling breath after another trying to calm down. She gripped the hem of his shirt, finding a physically reassuring comfort that this man was real, and not some falsehood.

Ichigo smiled at her action's. Any other woman would already be sobbing, but she was stubbornly keeping tears at bay.

Ichigo made a promise…a promise that he would help her through these dark times.

With who you might ask?

Actually with no one in particular.

Just his soul.

* * *

A/N

Hello and Welcome I'm Night Hunter and this is the revised version of my story The Shark in the Moonless sky.

I hope you liked the chapter, and for those who read the other version I hope that you're not disappointed with it. To avoid confusion this chapter is basically first three chapters compressed together.

Please leave the review and tell me what do you think of it!


	2. Something is Beginning

Chapter 2

Urahara's shop was placed near the city center. It was surrounded on all sides by ten story tall apartments buildings, but had some free space around it, which was used as parking. The building itself was stylized to look like a XVII Century Japanese house. It was made of wood, paper, and bamboo. A small porch in front, which also served as the corridor to the front door.

To ordinary humans the streets were deserted, but to those that were able to see spiritual beings there would be an unusual pair heading towards the shop.

Ichigo had been walking with Tia in his arms for the last fifteen minutes. They hadn't spoken since his declaration. One was too lost to hold a conversation, the other hadn't had the faintest idea what to speak about.

When they reached the porch Ichigo finally broke the silence.,

"Can you walk?" He asked carefully. Halibel looked at him blankly, but nodded nevertheless. He set her on the ground.

"I apologize for my behavior Kurosaki-san." Tia suddenly said, giving him a slight bow. "What I did was uncalled for." She added with what Ichigo guessed was embarrassment.

"It's fine. All of us need to blow off steam sometimes, some more than others." He smirked waving off her apology. "Oh and don't bow to me, it makes me feel weird." He admitted pressing the doorbell.

Not even one ring tone later the doors swung open, and a giant of a man shot out of it.

"Ichiiiiiigo-dono I'm so happy that I can get to see you." Tessai Tsukabishi yelled, while crushing the poor boy's ribs.

"Argh! I get it I'm happy too, just let me go!" Ichigo choked, swearing that he heard cracking sounds coming from his chest.

"I heard the great news! You've become the newest Kido Corps Commander! Good, you're so full of power and vigor….I used to be a Commander of the Kido Corps just like you, but then I got shot by a Kidō in the knee, so I had to quit." Tessai said, tears welling up in his eyes.

"Bullshit! Hachi told me that you preformed some crazy-ass forbidden Kidō, and got kicked out." Ichigo said scowling at him.

Tessai was about to open his mouth, but slammed it shut when he spotted Halibel. He looked at her attire, then her face.

"….. A moment please." The big man disappeared, and the next thing they heard was. "Owner we got a big problem!"

"What an idiot. Let's head inside." Ichigo said shaking his head.

Tia looked towards the open door as if expecting a trap. The young Shinigami instantly noticed her guarded posture.

"Don't worry, they aren't always like this… they are just surprised." He said trying to reassure her.

She still looked very unconvinced. "Not all of us are like Aizen, you know." He said with a bit of offense in his voice.

That seemed to have an effect on her, as her eyes widened slightly.

"Lead the way." She finally muttered, obviously unhappy about the remark.

The house inside was kept in the same manner as outside. The floor was made of polished wood, and most of the walls were made of reinforced paper, with a wooden frame to keep it intact. Ichigo opened the sliding doors and entered the living room. The room was painted a dark green color, the short round dining table was standing in the middle of the room, and the TV was located at the left corner.

"Sup' Urahara-san." Ichigo greeted the man sitting by the table drinking his tea. Urahara, as always, was wearing his white-green striped hat, grey-green coat with white rhombuses down on his back. Under the coat was a traditional Japanese kimono (also green). As usual he was unshaven, and his blonde hair was a mess, falling down his face and hiding his intelligent blue eyes.

"Oh my, what brings you here at such a late hour Kurosaki-kun?" Urahara asked with wide smile, waving his fan.

"Well I need a little favor from you..." He replied, a little uncertain of how to present this sensitive matter.

"I presume that "little favor" you mean concerns the charming lady standing next to you. Oh, and by the way, I'm Urahara Kisuke owner of this shop." Urahara said with a wide smile, looking directly at Halibel or at the least trying.

'Why do men always go for outside appearances?' Halibel thought suppressing a sigh.

"My name is Tia Halibel, the Tercera Espada." She said, looking closely for any facial expression changes. To her surprise he wasn't overreacting or anything, his smile was still genuine, but his eyes narrowed a bit.

"Oh my, Kurosaki-san you still have a knack for befriending the most interesting individuals, no offense. I knew that she was an Arrancar." Halibel's eyebrows slightly went up. She was sure that she was hiding her Reiatsu perfectly. "But not one of the Espada. Are you aware what the Soul Society would do to you if they found out?" Urahara said with a mischievous smirk hidden behind his fan. 'This is going to be interesting.' He thought.

"I have a general idea." He grinned, but quickly went serious. "But Aizen is no longer alive and she means no harm to us."

"Is that true?" Urahara asked her. Tia simply nodded. "Not the talkative type, eh? Anyways I'm still not sure. Letting her go is asking for trouble, again no offense. She's far too strong to let roam freely. The Soul Society will immediately notice an Arrancar of such caliber, and will send a squad to deal with her." Urahara told them, considering the options they had.

"I know. Los Noches is destroyed and overrun by Shinigami. So she can't go back without being noticed, but…" Ichigo furrowed his eyebrows, thinking of something. Then an idea hit him like a ton of bricks." .…She could stay with me at my place." Ichigo said trying to control a blush, and not failing for once. After all in every book Halibel would be considered hot, and he was just a teen after all.

After that statement the room was silent for few minutes. Urahara's jaw was hanging limply around his ankles. From the next room they heard a loud cough, sounding like Tessai.

Both males were shocked that Ichigo would even suggested such a thing. But the most stunned person in the room was Tia.

'He intends to bring me to his home?' Once again he surprised her with his generosity. Yet her past experience taught her one thing. To take even the best sounding offer with a grain of salt. The only problem was that she couldn't phantom the reason he would be doing this. If that was some sort of trap it was overly elaborate. He had her at his mercy in that park after all.

'Is it that he wants something from me? But what I have nothing to offer….' Her eyes again widened when a stray thought crossed her mind. A few times she witnessed male Hollows luring females ones to their nests, to satisfy other urges aside from the hunger. She looked at Ichigo with suspicion, but for some reason she couldn't picture him as such a creature that would take advantage of women.

**'Aww that's a shame, he's not bad looking.'** Tiburon, her Sword Spirit, said. **'We might finally have some fun.'**

'Now's not the time, Tiburon. We might be in danger here.' Tia replied mentally.

**'If they wanted they could kill us right now.'** She replied bluntly. **'It would be best if we go with what they have to offer, for a while. If it's too much we can always bail.'**

'I'll still need my sword back.' Tia stated. 'Without you our survival is unlikely.'

**'Then gain their trust, or seduce the boy, he looks innocent enough.**' Tiburon leered. **'He's probably still a virgin, use your charms Ti-chan!'**

Before Tia could manage a reply to her Inner Hollow, Ichigo spoke.

"That's why I came to you. I need a Gigai with the strongest Reiatsu resistance that you can create. She has to look like an ordinary human, with absolutely no Reiatsu at all." Ichigo said, staring right into Urahara's eyes.

"It won't be a problem, but we have to ask our guest what she thinks about it. Don't we?" Urahara told him, now all attention was focused on the Arrancar lady.

Tia hesitated. While never admitting it to herself, she was a bit afraid of accepting their offer. Last time she trusted a stranger who appeared in the right place at the right time, she lost all she cared about. But now all she could lose was her life, not that she cared.

She closed her eyes.

"I don't have much choice, do I?" She replied neutrally, masking her emotions. She was still furious at herself for her earlier breakdown. She turned to Ichigo and saw him furrowing his eyebrows. He was looking at her as if he was trying to solve some puzzle. Also she noticed that he seemed a little hurt with the depth of her mistrust, but it disappeared as quickly as it came. He replaced it with some level of understanding.

'I don't get her… It's as if she trying to show that she hasn't got any emotions. I'll have to ask her about it later.' Ichigo thought. He was still a little hurt by her earlier statement, but he understood that in an environment like H.M. trust was equal to suicide.

"Ok, then tell me one thing, how did the two of you meet?" Urahara asked. Ichigo quickly described their encounter. Reluctantly Halibel shared her part of the story too, deciding that it was better to not antagonize the two Shinigami.

"I understand. I will start making this reinforced Gigai, but I will need your assistance Halibel-san. To make the Gigai suits your tastes." Urahara said with a perverted smirk. Halibel suddenly felt the urge to hit the hatted man for some reason.

"Also Kurosaki-kun, tell me how will you're going to explain her presence to your Father, hmm? You should know how he's gonna react." He asked.

"Don't worry, I've already thought about that." Ichigo said proudly.

"Really? Now this is a surprise." Said Urahara, raising one of his eyebrows.

"What's that supposed to mean?! Anyway, listen… I will need you to use your connections in the city to make her a transfer student." He said, surprising Urahara as well as Tia.

"Well I have to say that even someone like you has good ideas sometimes." Urahara told him, pissing the young man off again.

"AND WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN!?" Ichigo yelled, the urge to choke the Ex-Shinigami Captain coming back.

"It was a compliment, Kurosaki-san. Anyway have you thought about her back story?" He replied grinning.

"Back story?" Ichigo asked a little puzzled.

"It's good to see that you haven't changed all that much, Kurosaki-san." Urahara stated with a sigh of relief. Ichigo growled, angry at Urahara's insult, and really considering blowing the place sky-high.

Tia witnessed the exchange with no small amount of interest. Both men bantered back and forth, throwing jabs and insults at each other, but for some reason there wasn't any tension between them. If they were Arrancars, blood would've been spilled the minute the hatted man threw his first insult. Actually it looked like they were having fun. What's more they were doing so calmly around her, a former and still potential enemy.

An idle thought passed through her mind.

' It would be really nice to live in such a world.'

"Ok, ok let's get to the point." Urahara said, as he stopped teasing the younger man."First we need to choose her country of origin. Hmm, you do look like you come from Spain or Portugal, or rather like from some Latin-American county, maybe Mexico?" Urahara said looking at Halibel closely, maybe little too closely for her comfort.

"Hawaii." Tia mumbled.

"Could you repeat that?" Ichigo asked, missing what she said.

"I said I was born in Hawaii." She repeated louder.

"You remember your previous life?" Ichigo asked with surprise. He was told that Hollows forget their previous lives.

"Interesting." Said Urahara, submerging himself in deep thought.

"I do." She replied quietly, with very subtle hints of sadness.

"That makes it easier then, just give us some details." Ichigo encouraged.

"I do not wish to." She stated firmly, narrowing her eyes.

"Why?" He asked, still oblivious that he was playing with an angry shark. But one frosty stare and he decided to drop the subject all together.

"Maybe just some basic information." Urahara said in a conciliatory tone. "Like what city, and the date that you were born."

"I was born in Honolulu, on the twenty first of June, in nineteen-eight." She said. Ichigo wasn't even surprised, the average age of a Shinigami Captain was 200 years or so, so she could still be considered young.

"You don't look like one hundred and six years old, so we will make you about seventeen." He noted it down. "To avoid some troublesome questions about your past, let's say that you moved to Miami, Florida when you were young, ok?" Halibel didn't know where or what Miami or Florida was. Ichigo noticed her confused face, and quickly said.

"Don't worry, I will tell you everything about it when we get home." She looked at him for a second, then nodded.

"Ok the rest of the minor details you will get tomorrow." Urahara said. He put his hand in his pocket, and pulled out of it small ball. "Halibel-san mind pouring some of your Reiatsu into this ball?" Urahara asked her.

"For what purpose?" She managed to not sound suspicious.

"Well this small thing will be your future body." He said with a smirk, as he noticed that his statement surprised the Arrancar lady. "When you put your Reiatsu into this, I can mold it into your exact shape, and basically the body created will be a perfect copy of a human body." He explained quickly.

"I see." She replied, not pleased at all that some stranger will be seeing her naked body. Even if it's a copy, he said it is an EXACT copy of her. That made her feel rather uncomfortable. Ichigo somehow guessed what she was thinking, and threatened the shop owner.

"You'd better not do anything funny, if you know what I mean." Ichigo growled deadly seriously.

"And what funny stuff are we talking about Kurosaki-san?" He said with a mischievous grin and glint in his eyes.

"Well…you know…I mean…damn…JUST DON'T DO IT!" Ichigo exclaimed, red as a tomato. Halibel looked at Ichigo, feeling amusement with a little bit of embarrassment. He voiced her concerns making her feel slightly self-conscious.

"Ok, ok, I get it, I will behave." He finally managed to find the compassion in his soul, and stopped teasing them. "It will take about an hour with the additional reinforcing. So until then feel free to make yourselves at home." He was about to leave when he took in Halibel's look. "Halibel-san you might want to take a shower. I'll ask Ururu to give you some fresh clothes, the bathroom is the third door on the left.

"I'll wait for you here." Ichigo instantly said. He could imagine that she wanted go get the bloodied clothes and the dirt off her.

The Arrancar nodded and left the room, walking toward the bathroom. She opened the doors and found an ordinary looking shower with a curtain separating it from the rest of the small room. Aside from that there was also a sink, small mirror, and stool

Her first thought was that it looked poor. In Los Noches she had a marble-clad bathroom, just for herself, with lots of accessories that no one would expect to see in a desert fortress. To this day she wondered where Aizen got so many different kinds of soaps.

'Looks like I've become spoiled.' She thought idly, while unzipping her vest. She almost took it off when someone knocked on a door.

"Excuse me Arrancar-san, I have some clothes and towels for you." Tia turned back around, and saw a meek looking girl carrying said items. "Also you can give me your clothes, we'll clean them."

"Thank you." Tia replied shortly, but not unpleasantly.

Ururu smiled weakly and put the items on the stool, then closed the doors giving Tia her privacy. She quickly liberated herself from her clothes. Only now she felt that they were literally stuck to her, thanks to her blood and grime.

But even then she folded them and handled them to the girl through the slightly open door. When she felt the fabric leave her hand, Tia moved to the mirror and looked at herself.

Her hair were even more messy than before, and tangled in every way possible. Not to mention it looked more greyish than blonde with the amount of the dirt in it. The unmasked part of the face wasn't much better. Her eyes were bloodshot and had dark rings beneath them.

Sighing she turned her eyes from the misery she was looking at.

She went into the shower and opened the hot water. In the very instant the water hit her skin Tia let a pleased moan escape. For a few seconds she felt pure bliss. The hot water pleasantly loosened her tension and soothed the ache in her muscles.

Yet her pleasure was short lived. Now that she hadn't had to fight for her life, she was able to think about the most urgent matter.

Tia now had the time to…grieve.

She never experienced such a strong feeling before. Even her previous breakdown was nothing compared to this. At least then she tried to preserve some of her dignity, but now, when no one was watching, she could release all her pent up frustration and sadness.

Tia wasn't even aware that she was sobbing by this point. She leaned on the wall for support, her knees suddenly starting to give up. The grief ripped a gaping hole in her being, shaking her body in a painful way.

The memories of her Fraccion flooded through her mind.

Sung-Sun was the first one. She was the one Tia met soon after she evolved into a Vasto Lorde, and hadn't need to consume anymore Hollows. She found Sung-Sun on the verge of death after a duel with another Hollow. Tia took care of her wounds and fed her. Soon the snake Hollow joined her.

Mila-Rose was second. The start of their relationship was rather bumpy. The lion Hollow actually attacked Sung-Sun. Tia, who was scouting at that time, managed to come back just in time, before it got overly bloody. After a bit of persuasion Tia's group grew again.

The last was Apachi. Her predicament was similar to Sung-Sun, albeit without Tia's intervention, she would've surely died and became a part of another Hollow.

The three of them, after some tension, quickly became friends despite all the arguments that sometimes irritated Tia to no ends. She couldn't count how many times she had to play peace keeper.

But now she would give up her soul for a chance to experience it again. To see them again, alive and well.

She let out a ragged breath, trying to calm herself down, but recently she'd been failing at that quite often.

The feeling of horrible emptiness was just too much to bear. The thought that she would never see them again just deepening the pit.

Before her thoughts managed to fall even deeper into depression, a knock sounded through the bathroom.

"Halibel-san are you ok? You've been there for quite a while." She heard Ichigo's concerned voice. Tia realized that she indeed was there for some time now.

"Y-Yes I'm ok. I'll be done soon." She said in a hoarse voice. Thankful for the distraction, she quickly took the shampoo and applied it to her hair. She washed intensely, wanting to get all the dirt out of it quick.

In a few minutes she was out, and dried her body using the towel. She felt slightly better, at least physically, but she was still exhausted. She put the borrowed clothes on. It was a simple pair of jeans, a gray turtle neck sweater, that somehow managed to act like her high collar jacket, a pair of white socks and underwear.

For some reason everything fit perfectly. Tia couldn't recall giving the hatted man her sizes…that disturbed her slightly.

After she was done, she walked back into the living room.

Ichigo, who was waiting for her, did a double take when she entered the room. Tia seemed like a whole different person now. Both her hair and skin had a much lighter tone than he expected. The clothes she had on seemed like they were made for her. Both jeans and sweater were perfectly fitted, accenting her voluptuous curves, especially her chest. The sweater actually seemed a little too tight there. Also the jeans looked very nice on her long lean legs.

Ichigo hadn't even realized that he was staring, until Tia politely cleared her throat. Blushing madly he looked to the table embarrassed. Tia wordlessly sat across him.

After half an hour of awkward silence between them, Ichigo started to feel really nervous. Complete silence wasn't his thing. He was wondering how to start some sort of conversation, but nothing came to mind. He had a few ideas, but all of them were too bold.

He wanted to ask her about so many things, like: What was it like to be a Hollow? How Resurrección worked? What kind of life she led under Aizen's rule? Etc. But he felt that bombarding her with questions was inappropriate, and might anger her. So he remained silent.

Yet he also noticed that something was off about her. The skin round her eyes was tense and slightly puffy.

'She's been crying.' Ichigo realized, seeing the Arrancar lady before him in new light. "Are you ok, Halibel-san?" He asked tenderly, making Tia look at him.

'Apacci, Mila-Rose, Sung-Sun… What would you all think of this? A Shinigami concerned with my wellbeing…' Tia thought. "I am fine, Kurosaki-san."

Ichigo stared at her incredulously.

"You sure don't look like fine." He stated, crossing his arms, deciding to press her slightly. "Have you been crying?"

"I am fine." Tia replied in a dangerously cold tone, completely ignoring his question. No matter how insightful it was.

"You don't need to be so hostile, especially when people are worried about you." Ichigo snapped in exasperation. 'She's impossible. We might not get along well after all.'

Tia's eyes slightly widened at his harsh tone. With some shame she realized that he hadn't had any ill will towards her, and she was just venting on him. She was about to apologize, but Ichigo was faster.

"Sorry about that." He rubbed his neck awkwardly. He saw her expression, and regretted his outburst. "I'm not a very patient person, and you've been through a lot recently…sorry for prying." He blushed.

"No…" She said quietly. "The one to apologize should be me…I apologize for being rude Kurosaki-san." She bowed slightly, not meeting his eyes.

The amount of sympathy in them was simply too much for her. Hate, anger, or indifference she could deal with. But the look of understanding that the young Shinigami was giving her, was simply unbearable.

'I wonder if he lost someone close too?' Such a thought passed through her mind. Again the heavy silence returned.

Tia glanced at her savior, and saw how uncomfortable he was with it. It seemed that he wasn't the long standing quiet type she initially thought, and needed some sort of interaction.

'Maybe I should indulge him…Conversation might take my mind off of things.' Tia took a deep breath. "If you wish to ask me something, then feel free. It's the least I can do for your hospitality and care."

Ichigo's surprised face was almost comical to her.

"Ah, ok…um…so how was the life in Los Noches, err before the war." Stumbling Ichigo managed to ask the first thing that came to mind.

"Tranquil, aside from the meetings and occasional in fight, there was nothing significant going on." She replied.

"Really? I thought that there would've been preparations for the war or something…" Ichigo rubbed his chin.

"We are natural born warriors, we don't need much training. The moment we became Arrancar we gain access to our strongest weapon, Resurrection." She explained.

"I see, so how exactly did you come into Aizen's service?" Ichigo asked, instantly having the feeling that he screwed up again. But if it affected Tia in a way she hadn't showed.

"He…saved me and my Fraccion." She spat the sentence, her voice filled with tightly controlled anger. "But now I know it was just a set up to gain my loyalty…and it succeeded." She added bitterly.

"Hey, it's not your fault. He fooled dozens if not hundreds of people." Ichigo said gently.

"Yet it was my decision to join him…and my Fraccion paid the price for my naivety." She closed her eyes, chasing off the pain. "Their sacrifice was in vain."

"You're still alive, aren't you?" Ichigo asked quietly.

"Sacrifice is my Aspect of Death, not theirs." She replied with a sigh.

"Aspect of what?" Ichigo asked, puzzled by her replay.

"Aspect of Death is what defines each of the Espada. It's the source of our powers and philosophy…mine is Sacrifice."

This information made quite an impact on Ichigo. Sacrifice almost always went hand in hand with protection. Suddenly he felt that maybe they could somehow get along, maybe even be friends in the future. But it also made him feel for her even more. Her expression was similar to the one he had after he failed to protect his Mother.

The only difference was that she knew how to hide pain better.

"So what were the other aspects?" Actually Ichigo was quite curious about this.

"Rage, Solitude, Aging, Emptiness, Despair, Destruction, Intoxication, Madness, Greed." Tia enumerated.

"Wow that's some list…but I have to say out of all of them, yours is the most noble." He said sincerely and with a small smile. "Looks like I had the right feeling about you."

"Thank you." She replied, only minimally abashed. Compliments towards her were rare and far in between, usually only coming from her Fraccion. "May I ask you a question too?"

"Sure, shoot." Ichigo shrugged.

"It's come to my attention that you have a highly unusual Reiatsu. I recall you fighting Grimmjow, and your spiritual signature almost made me mistake you for one of us Espada." She told him.

"So you were there?" He asked surprised.

"Yes and no. I was observing you from my palace." She answered.

"So you probably noticed that I can go into a Hollow Mode." He said.

"Hollow Mode?" She asked.

Ichigo moved his hand to his face, and in one swift motion put his mask on. The moment he opened his eyes Tia felt her breath stuck in her throat.

Compared to the other two she saw, Ichigo's hollow mask was by far the most frightening. It resembled Barragan's Resurreccion, only it was more demonic in nature. Two vertical dark red stripes were going through the eye holes of the mask, giving it a slightly tribal look.

Speaking of eyes…

Tia felt her heart skip a beat when those black and gold orbs locked onto her teal ones. They emitted so much power, with such intensity, that it almost made her break eye contact. Ichigo's stare seemed to bore into her soul, seeing her every secret and thought.

She might as well be naked in front of him.

A shiver went down her spine when she recalled the least time she felt like that. It was when she was still an Adjuchas, and managed to outrun a particularly powerful opponent.

She never forgot the sight of those eyes.

The eyes of a superior predator….just like the one sitting in front of her. Her instincts screamed at her to get away, as she was weaponless.

Ichigo saw her pupils widen to almost comical proportions, it would've been funny if not for the hints of fear in her eyes.

"Halibel-san are you ok?" He said while taking his mask off.

"I-I see. I've fought warriors with a similar ability, but none of their Reiatsus were as close to a Hollow as yours." She told him, trying to sound as indifferent as possible. Tia would never admit that something as simple as one look could shake her so deeply.

"Really? I thought we all had a similar Reiatsu structure. Oh, by the way which one of them did you fight?" He asked.

"One of them was a short blonde, with foul mouth and…" She was interrupted.

"Hiyori." Ichigo deadpanned.

"..and the other was tall dark haired girl, dressed in short skirt, and…" Again she was interrupted.

"Lisa." Ichigo shook his head. For some reason he was glad that it wasn't Shinji.

"Mind if I ask who they are?" Tia inquired.

"They are a group of rogue Shinigami, who were Hollowfied due to Aizen's experiments with Hollowfication. They helped me to control my own Inner Hollow." He said.

"Inner Hollow?" Tia asked with genuine surprise. She wasn't aware that he had a Hollow inside him. True, his Reiatsu resembled a Hollow's, but in the end he was a Shinigami not a Hollow.

Ichigo Kurosaki was truly a man full of surprises.

"Yep, pretty nasty guy. You don't want to meet him, but that bastard is a source of my Hollow powers." He said twisting his face in disgust as he mentioned his Hollow.

"What abilities are at your disposal?" Tia needed to know all she could about his strength, in case he ever turned on her. While she felt bad for repaying for his kindness like this, Aizen taught her to never trust anyone.

"Well I can use Sonido, and for some reason my skin gets harder to pierce." He told her.

"It's called Hierro, Kurosaki-san. Being a Hollow increases your resistance to any physical attacks. Can you use Cero or Bala?" She asked him, after she explained to him what Hierro was.

"Nope, they only taught me how to control the basics of my power. I discovered how to use Sonido on my own." He said with pride. "Though, I saw them using it…and I was thinking… maybe you could teach me how to use it. Of course only if you want." He mumbled embarrassed.

Halibel was taken aback by his request. Her first guess was that it was the reason he saved her. But she quickly dismissed that notion. She believed that if he only asked any of those Visored Shinigami would teach him that.

Yet no one ever asked her to teach them anything, and she wasn't certain if she could handle him.

"I'm not certain if I'd be a suitable teacher." She said avoiding his gaze.

"If you feel uncomfortable with it we'll forget about it." Ichigo said with a small smile, but Tia heard disappointment in his voice.

"You misunderstood me. What I meant was that I possibly might not be a good teacher, but I'm willing to try." She told him, knowing what would happen if he made a mistake while forming a Cero. "But be warned that it might be dangerous." She added, to have a clean conscience.

"Thanks Halibel-san! I really appreciate it!" Ichigo exclaimed with a small grin. "You're a life saver."

Tia was mildly surprised by his enthusiastic reaction. It was a small favor for saving her life, yet he seemed to make something big out of it.

'Human are certainly puzzling creatures.'

"Excuse me." Ururu said coming in the room."Urahara-san wants to inform you that Halibel-san's Gigai is ready."

"Ok, we'll go then. Thanks Ururu." Ichigo stood, patting her head and making the young girl blush. They followed her through the house to seemingly heavy metal doors. But the ease with which Ururu opened them seemed to prove otherwise.

They crossed the threshold and walked into what seemed to be a classical mad geneticist lab.

The walls were metallic gray, covered by shelves filled with jars. Said jars were filled with what seemed to be organs. Ichigo could swear that the eyes in one jar followed his movements. Urahara stood before a large computer which glowed with pale blue light, bathing the otherwise dim room in it.

In short the place gave him the creeps.

"I feel like I'm in Szayelaporro's lab." Tia said under her breath, but Ichigo managed to catch it.

"In whose lab?" Ichigo asked her.

"You don't want to know." The tone in her voice routed further questioning.

Then Ichigo's eyes turned at the table….and they remained there for quite a time. Tia's Gigai was dressed in pair of black sneakers, blue jeans, a tight black sweater with a high collar, and a white scarf.

Yet what drew Ichigo's attention the most was her face. As he expected she was beautiful. Her face had a nice round shape, with a small nose and full lips.

'Why the hell she hides a face like this….' Ichigo wondered, taking in her features. He wonder how her face would look with a smile.

"Are you with us Ichigo?" Urahara asked with a mischievous smile. "Have I made some mistake in making Halibel-san's face? Since you seem to be staring so intensely at it?"

"Ahh…it's totally fine…not that I saw it….so it's ok…I guess?" He stumbled through his words, blushing madly at being caught.

'He guesses?' Tia thought dryly. While she was far from being concerned about her looks, his comment managed to offend her slightly.

"Burn." Urahara mumbled, giving Tia an apologetic smile. "Halibel-san you can enter your Gigai any time." Tia looked at him blankly. "Awww sorry my bad." He patted his head. "You have to fuse your Reiatsu with the Gigai." He explained to her. "Just put your hands on it, and pour all of your energy into it."

Tia followed his instruction and started to pour her energy into the body. After a moment she felt like something had started to suck her in. Immediately she tried to resist, but then she heard Ichigo's voice.

"Just go with the flow, let the Gigai merge with you. Don't worry, the first time is the worst, but trust me you will get used to it." He said with in a reassuring tone. Tia decided to trust him and do as he said. When she stopped resisting, she was immediately pulled inside the body.

To say the sensation was bizarre, would be huge understatement. She felt like a log not being able to move at all.

'No….' With horror she realized that had been tricked….again. No matter how hard she tired she couldn't lift a finger. This body became her prison.' Not again….'

Again the crushing sense of betrayal and hopelessness washed over her. She looked at Ichigo, glaring at him with all the anger and venom she could muster.

And that was a lot.

'Shit, we forgot to tell her.' Ichigo cursed, seeing the hurt and betrayal in her teal eyes. Not to mention anger and spite. 'Wow she really can muster a glare.'

"Halibel-san." He said gently, putting his hand on her shoulder. The fact that Tia actually closed her eyes in what seemed to be fear managed to hurt him. She tightly squeezed her eyes, reading herself for the pain, causing Ichigo to feel even worse. "Hey no one's going to hurt you, everything is fine."

Tia slowly opened her eyes, giving him a hesitant untrusting look, yet he could see a very shy hope in them. She looked so vulnerable now, Ichigo knew that one mistake and she would be crushed forever.

"It's ok, don't worry. No one is going to harm you." He tried to reassure her. The fear in her eyes for some reason seemed extremely wrong to Ichigo.

Tia looked into his eyes and saw no deceit. She decided to do what he asked, not that she had much choice in her current predicament.

"Look, when you enter your new body for the first time it takes some time for it to adjust to your Reiatsu. In few minutes you should be able to move. Sorry for forgetting to mention that." He had said cheerfully, but stopped when he saw daggers in her eyes. "I will make it up to you, I swear." He gulped seeing her eyes narrow. But he also saw the humongous amount of relief in them. Her whole figure relaxed.

"How are you feeling, Halibel-san?" Urahara asked after five minutes.

"I still feel a little numb, but I can probably walk." She stood up and took a few shaky steps, examining her body's abilities. "I'd appreciate if you inform me about such….surprises beforehand." She told them, coldly glaring at Ichigo.

"Sorry." He rubbed his neck sheepishly.

"Ok, do some exercises Halibel-san. Ichigo and I will give you some privacy." Urahara stated, motioning Ichigo to follow him.

Tia nodded while walking around the room. Ichigo and Urahara walked out of the room and closed the doors. All that time the hatted man was looking at the young Shinigami in what seemed to be amusement.

"What?" Ichigo asked getting slightly pissed.

"Just what are you planning Ichigo?" Urahara inquired, waving his fan to and fro.

"Planning?" Ichigo parroted. Yet he knew what, or rather who, was the subject of the oncoming discussion.

"Yes, planning, to do about your new girlfriend?" He teased Ichigo with a perverted smirk.

"She's not my girlfriend! And I'm not planning to do anything you might be thinking!" Ichigo replied, turning scarlet.

"You are aware of the punishment for helping the enemy? Especially when you are a Captain?" Urahara asked in a more serious tone. His eyes losing all previous amusement.

"I am, but I just couldn't leave her there… And no I couldn't kill her. I don't hurt defenseless people." He replied with his own serious tone, crossing his arms "That's why I wanted you to create a Gigai that completely suppresses one's Reiatsu. They won't be able to detect her if she doesn't leave her Gigai." Ichigo told him. For a moment Urahara studied his expression, seeing the determination to go through with his plan.

"Ok Kurosaki one more question. Why did you take her in?" He asked curious about the answer. That question caused Ichigo to think deeply about his reasoning.

Why indeed? He wasn't certain at this point why he was doing it. Was it pity? Was it that he found her body attractive? Or that her Reiatsu was... alluring to him, almost like calling him to come closer… and touch it. Or was it the look in her teal eyes when they first met. Desperation mixed with resignation. The look of a person who had already accepted death, that moved something inside him. Or was it that, somehow, she seemed more human to him than any of the Arrancar that he met before, except for Nel. He was puzzled.

After few seconds he noticed that Urahara was still waiting for an answer.

"To tell the truth..." Ichigo hesitated, "...I don't know, but I think it was right thing to do. No one deserves to be left for death like that." He finished, knowing that was only part of his reason. But how could he to explain to Urahara that something told him to help her, that his instinct urged him to save her.

"Fine, I will take it for now…but when you finally put everything in order, you have to tell me every detail, and I mean every detail." He smirked deviously.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ichigo asked, but really he didn't want to know.

"Nothing, nothing at all." Urahara replied still smirking.

With that matter done, both men returned to the room, just in time to witness Tia bending down and stretching her tendons, back to them. When Ichigo entered the room he could fully admire her rear. It was perfectly shaped, not too big, not too small, precisely to Ichigo's tastes, and he could swear he heard his Inner Hollow whistle at this sight. With willpower that could rival god, he turned away and coughed to catch her attention.

"Getting used to it?" He asked, trying to look indifferent in this situation.

"I am….Is there a reason for your nose is bleeding?" She pointed out, causing Ichigo to suffer from a minor heart attack. He quickly wiped his nose clean.

"Well…yyy... you see, when you leave a living body for too long something like this can happen. Hahaha."

The lie was so obvious that Tia hadn't even attempted to call it out.

"Anyways I'll have your full cover story you later today." Urahra said, and pulled out a small piece of paper, handing it to her.

"Tia Halibel, the only daughter of Mary and Alex Halibel, second year student from Miami High School. I moved because I wanted to experience a different culture, and choose Japan as a cultural exchange destination…." She read aloud.

"That's just if somebody asks. Pretend to not know Japanese enough, and rely on Ichigo for the time being." He instructed.

"Very well." Tia nodded, hiding the note in her pocket.

"Thanks for everything old man. Mind telling me what's the time?" Ichigo asked.

"It's 7:15 AM." He replied.

"Thanks. See ya around Urahra-san. Ready to go Tia?" Ichigo started to walk toward the doors.

"You have my gratitude, Urahara Kisuke." Halibel said politely, bowing her head.

"Glad that I could help. Take care both of you…" He said waving his fan.

Ichigo and Tia left the shop, with Tia following Ichigo. The winter was already retreating, but the weather was still chilly. There was still loads of snow, and the pavement was slippery because of ice.

They'd been walking in the suburban area for some time now…in total silence. Ichigo again felt quite uncomfortable. He guessed that their earlier conversation was a sort of miracle, and usually she spoke as much and Ulquiorra.

What also caught his eyes that she was trembling again, her arms tightly wrapped around her. It looked like she really hated the cold. Again Ichigo showed his gentleman side, by borrowing her his coat.

"Here take it." He handed her his coat.

"There's really no need to..." Halibel started.

"Yes there is." He cut her off. "You're not in your spiritual form anymore, and your new body is a perfect copy of human body. So you need to take proper care of it, and the last thing we need is you catching a cold." He told her trying to sound mature, and cool, and succeeded…partly.

"You seem to have a keen interest in my body." She pointed out, oblivious to how it sounded. "Earlier you seemed to stare at my face quite intensely."

"Erm…" He managed to stay calm, barely. "I was just curious what your face looked like, since you know, you cover it up for some reason." He noticed how her eyes narrowed. "Not that it's wrong or anything, it's our body after all…and well, after all I went through, it would be strange if I let you freeze to death." He replied.

"Only this body would freeze. After all it's merely a container." Tia answered.

"Do you feel cold?" He asked suddenly.

"I do." She replied, not sure what his point was.

"Then tell me is it pleasant feeling?" He asked again.

"Hardly." She muttered.

"And that's the point. Every injury, be it frostbite, or burns won't heal itself in a second. It will take time for you to heal in this body. So you need to take a proper care of it, you're almost human again now." He finished.

Tia nodded, acknowledging his reasoning. She put his coat on, and smelled his scent all over her…again. She swore that at this rate she would soon have the same scent as him…which for some strange reason didn't bother her that much. She felt his warmth going all around her frozen body, pleasantly enveloping it.

"What about you?" She asked looking at him. He was dressed more heavily than her, but it was still winter.

"Don't worry. I like winter, and I have a little more resistance to cold than most people." He replied to her, smiling. They walked a while in silence, before Ichigo spoke again.

"Oh right, I have to tell you about my family. I have two sisters, Yuzu and Karin, they are both twelve years old. Yuzu is more feminine, she's calm and gentle, and Karin is rougher around the edges, almost a tomboy, in a way she resembles me. But she is a good one, just like her sister." Ichigo's face brightened, with warm smile on his face

Tia almost could see the impatience on his face to see them.

"And then there's my old man..." His smile dropped, she frowned at it. Was he in a bad relationship with his Father?

"To put it nice and plain, he's a lunatic, dead set on making my life miserable." He stated feigning seriousness, but Tia noticed his small grin.

"It seems that you hold your Father in low esteem." She voiced her observation, unsure how to interpret the difference between his expression and statement.

"When you meet him you'll understand, but under all his idiocy he is good man who cares for his family." Yet his smile fell from his face. His expression changed to thoughtful.

Tia could almost read his emotional states, making her wonder what he was thinking about.

But the answer to her question came a few seconds later.

Ichigo stopped, looking at her with steel in his eyes, resolve burning in them.

"Halibel-san these people are the ones I cherish the most in my life. I hate to say it, but I don't trust you…yet. So I'm going to warn you, if you harm them in any way, I swear I'll make you regret it. Even if it's the last thing I do." Ichigo was deadly serious, and Tia knew it. While he surprised her with the sudden behavior change, she understood him.

She was a potential threat, and she had to give him credit for being cautious with her.

'Looks like he's more reasonable than I thought.' She closed her eyes for a second." Your concerns are reasonable. It would be foolish to completely trust a stranger. You have my word Kurosaki Ichigo, that I won't harm your family."

"You can't imagine how happy I am to hear that, Halibel-san. Sorry for that, but I needed to be certain." He rubbed his neck, giving her an apologetic smile.

"There's no need to apologize Kurosaki-san, you acted with their best interest in mind." She crossed her arms, adopting the sagely tone she often used with her Fraccion. "I understand that well."

"Thanks, and call me Ichigo." He told her. "There's no need for such formality now."

"Very well, Ichigo-san." She replied, making him roll his eyes.


	3. Responsibilities

Chapter 3

When Ichigo and Tia finally arrived at his house she noticed that it was different than the other houses. Firstly, it was slightly bigger than the rest of in the area. Secondly, it had a big blue neon sign reading Kurosaki's Clinic, and a small parking area for customers. The glass door, under the neon, led inside to the medical area of the house. That was where the differences ended, as it looked precisely like the countless homes they passed. Green roof, outside elevation made of wood with a small balcony. They passed the clinic door, Ichigo opened the small waist-high wicket, and walked towards doors. However before Ichigo rang the bell, he took a heavy breath and said.

"Now get ready to meet the most bizarre thing in your life." He stated seriously.

Tia looked at him in confusion.

"Could you move a little bit back to the right. Yep that's good." He told her as she moved backwards a few steps to his right. "Watch." Ichigo rang the bell. For a moment nothing happened, but the next thing she saw could be easily considered Espada level speed. The door flew open, and a man in white lab coat flew toward Ichigo with a war cry…

"Ichigoooooooooooo!" Kurosaki Isshin screamed, as he sent a flying kick towards Ichigo. Ichigo caught his Father by the foot, spun in a circle, and sent him flying back inside the house.

Before Isshin was sent inside the house, with that terrifying strength and speed, for a few milliseconds he locked eyes on a certain tanned blonde, who was wearing…his beloved and only Son's, winter coat. All the way to the wall he was sent to (Which had to be replaced later) Kurosaki Isshin was… grinning. His dream came true, now he could rest in peace….

"Uffff…what an idiot." Ichigo groaned. Meanwhile Tia was anything but amused. She knew little about the whole Father Son relationship, but what she just saw could be considered extraordinary, in the least.

"Ok now we can go in." He invited her in.

"My brand new third Daughter! Son your Father is so proud of you! Masaki! Look our Son finally brought a girlfriend to our home!" Isshing cried, leaning against the poster of his deceased wife, rivers of tears flowing down his cheeks.

"She. Is. Not. My. Girlfriend. You. Old. Retard." Ichigo exclaimed, blushing madly.

Tia on the other hand was still in shock. She was unable to comprehend what was going on. To say that his family is unusual so far would be an understatement.

'…This family is different from what I learned about humans..' She decided, and then furrowed her eyebrows when the full meaning of what Ichigo's Father had said reached her. 'Why does he consider me his Son's mate?'

"Where are Yuzu and Karin pops?" Ichigo asked, trying to ignore Tia's inquisitive look.

"They went on a ski trip after you left for Los Noches." Isshing replied surprising the Arrancar lady. She wasn't aware that he was spiritually aware too. "They should be back tomorrow."

"I see, hmm that's even better then. Halibel-san will have more time to get acquainted with her back story." Ichigo stated.

"Where are my manners! I'm Kurosaki Isshin, Father of this ruffian." He extended his hand to Tia, which she shook it firmly. In any other situation she would ignore the gesture, but she didn't want to offend the patriarch of the house. "Please take good care of my Son." He added with a wicked grin.

"My name is Tia Halibel, Tercera Esapda." She introduced herself politely, ignoring the last part of his statement.

"Ok since the introductions are out of the way, I'll show you your room." Ichigo said, motioning her to follow him.

"Ah yes get a room you two." Isshin commented, causing Ichigo to blush angrily.

"DAD!" The youth snapped in embarrassment.

His Father only laughed loudly, and went to the kitchen to make himself some coffee.

The duo walked upstairs, and Ichigo opened the door to his room. It looked quite normal, the walls were painted a light-yellow color, with a few posters of some bands. The bed was covered by light blue blankets, with a cross pattern on it and was placed under the window. Next to it was a desk with a lamp, computer, books, and few other things on it. On the opposite side of the room was the wall-wardrobe, which took up the whole wall.

"I know it's not much, considering you mentioned that you had a palace before, but I hope you can-" Ichigo started.

"It will suffice Ichigoi-san. Thank you for your hospitality." She walked inside, and sat on the bed. "But I have a question."

"Yes?"

"It's about what your Father said about me being your mate…Do you expect to have an intercourse with me in exchange for shelter?" Tia said in a perfectly straight voice. Yet inside even she felt a tingle of embarrassment.

It was nothing compared to Ichigo's. He was after all a teenage male, and when a drop dead gorgeous woman sitting on his bed asks such a question….

"Ahua…errr…ufffff..." Came Ichigo's coherent reply. The poor boy looked like he was about to pop a vein. His face was bright red and a steam was coming off of it.

**'Say yes you fag, say yes!'** Hichigo practically begged.

**'Please say yes! Come on!'** At the same time Tiburon was cheering Ichigo on from inside Tia. **'Let her have some fun!'**

"Of course not!" Ichigo finally chocked, causing both Inner Hollows to wail in despair. "I would never sleep with you!" His lady-speaking skill could use some serious refining, because those weren't the words one uses towards ladies.

Tia never bothered with her feminine side very much, Yet Ichigo somehow managed to awake it just then.

**'That asshole! Is he implying that we're ugly!?'** Tiburon snarled.

'I'm about to ask.' Tia glared predatory at him. "Do you mean you find my look repulsive? That the very idea sickens you?" She asked icily. Not that she cared about his opinion, but aside from being an Arrancar she was a woman too.

She had the right to a little vanity.

"No! That's not what I meant!" Ichigo replied desperately, trying to safe face. "You're anything but repulsive, in fact your beautiful!" His eyes widened when those words left escaped. He clapped his hand over his mouth and looked at her in terror.

Tia's eyes slight widened at his statement.

**'Ara? I take back what I said…hehehe. This boy will be tons of fun.'** Tiburon said slyly. **'He just called you beautiful.'**

'Yes...he did.' Tia replied, but couldn't stop the…odd warmth in her chest. Ichigo's attitude and behavior was rather refreshing. He wore his heart on his sleeve, and she could practically read him like an open book. And after just knowing him for only a few hours too.

He was honest to a fault. A rather pleasant change from Aizen.

"You haven't answered my question, Ichigo-san." She had to admit his reactions held a certain entertainment value.

"NO..uhm no…I won't ask anything from you in exchange for this." Ichigo finally composed himself. "Besides what I asked earlier….and sorry for my idiot of a dad for giving you that impression." His blushed was slow to die away. "I would never use a woman in need in such way, it's disgusting." He found the very prospect horrible.

"That is an admirable quality." She nodded towards him. While she frowned at the phrase "woman in need", Tia felt at ease knowing that her host had good morals.

"Well since that's out of the way, what would you like to do now? After breakfast I can show you around, and get you some more clothes." Ichigo offered.

Tia would have taken his offer, if not for one thing….she was exhausted.

"I would like to rest for now, Ichigo-san. I haven't slept properly for four days." She said having the adrenaline from earlier fading fast.

"Oh! Sure, sorry I forgot about that." Ichigo rubbed his neck sheepishly. He walked to the drawer and pulled out a large T-shirt and a pair of boxers. "I know their not perfect, but these should be more comfortable than your current clothing." He said handing her them. "Don't worry, they're washed."

"Thank you." Tia said sincerely. The longer she sat on the soft bed, the heavier her body felt.

"I'll wake you up later this afternoon. We'll can go for the tour and shopping then." Ichigo said moving towards the door.

"Very well." Tia said neutrally.

"Ok, then good night, I guess…Oh, and if you're hungry feel free to have at anything in the kitchen." Ichigo remembered before he closed the door behind him.

Tia stripped from her current clothes and changed into what Ichigo supplied her. She lifted the blanket and slid beneath it.

In that moment the completely ordinary bed felt like heaven. The softness just seemed to swallow her the second she relaxed.

Tia just hoped that she would be granted a dreamless rest for once.

Meanwhile Ichigo had to have one more talk before he could attend to matters…

"Ichigo." His Father called him from the living room. He was sitting on an armchair, and had a serious look about him. "Ichigo are you certain about this?" Isshin asked gravely, staring at his Son.

"I am Dad. She's staying with us." He replied in the same manner.

"Can I ask how this happened?" Ichigo sat down and quickly summarized what happened last night.

"I see." Isshin started. "But I really don't get why you didn't purify her and send her to Soul Society though. You know how this works." Isshin crossed his arms at his chest.

"First, it doesn't work that way with Arrancar, due to their Shinigami powers. I would simply kill her if I did that. And second, you didn't raise a Son that would kill a wounded woman, did you?" He finished with sarcasm. He really couldn't believe his Father would even consider killing a helpless opponent. Call him naïve, but finishing her off, to him, was just…wrong. Killing them in a fight for your life was a different matter, and even then he was never happy when he had to. Even when he killed Aizen he didn't feel happy about it, just…that he done right thing and that's all. He was not pleased about it.

"No, I didn't want a killer, but..." Isshin tried to explain."…eh. Just remember that Yuzu and Karin live here too, she might be a danger to them."

"I know. I warned her about what happens if she hurt any of you. But I don't think she's a threat anymore." Ichigo stated with conviction.

"And how do you know that?" Isshing inquired.

"I just know. Call it a strong intuition." Ichigo replied with a smirk.

"What exactly do you plan to do with her Son?" Isshin's smile turned perverted. "You know keeping her locked up in your room all the time might be hazardous to your social life."

"Dad!" Ichigo blushed. "You damn pervy geezer! If you have to know I asked Urahara to arrange this for me. She will attend the same school and classes as me." He told him.

"So you have your eyes set on her, haven't you?" Isshin asked with a grin, causing Ichigo to blush even more. "Arrancar huh? Quite an exotic choice."

"I have not set my eyes on her. I'm just helping her, that's all. It's the same as with Rukia and Orihime." Ichigo obstinately denied his Father's statement. His Father leaned toward him, and whispered in a conspiratorial voice.

"And where does she have her hole?" Ichigo felt a heart attack coming, not believing what he just heard. He looked at his Father with pure horror, not being able to form any proper response.

"I mean her Hollow Hole." He replied with a face splitting grin, bursting out in laughter. With that statement Ichigo froze for a moment. He hadn't noticed it, so it was either under her jacket or near her…Ichigo gulped at that thought, turning his face into a tomato. Which caused to Isshin to laugh even harder.

"S-Shut up! You will wake her up!" Ichigo huffed. "Is that everything? I have to go back to the Soul Society and straighten out this mess with appointing me a Captain."

"Yeah tha.…wait what?!" Isshin exclaimed. "Since when are you a Captain!?"

"Since two days ago." Ichigo grinned at his Father's stunned expression.

"Which Division? " He asked. 'If it's the tenth, I'm going to cry.'

"Kido Corps." Ichigo said rubbing his neck.

"Weren't they disbanded?" Isshin asked with furrowed eyebrows. "And as far as I've heard you don't know any Kido."

"I know a bit now. Hachi taught me, but still this whole mess seems a bit fishy to me." Ichigo crossed his arms.

"Yeah it's unusual, especially to appoint a Kido noob as a Captain. How exactly did you get appointed?" Isshin asked.

"The old man simply called me up out of blue, and gave me a Haori." Ichigo shrugged.

"Hmm that's not the usual way these things go." He said a questioning look on his and his son's face. "You can only become a Captain one of three ways...officially. First is achieving Bankai and presenting it before at least three Captains, including the Captain-Commander. The second is a personal recommendation from at least six Captain's and approval from three more of the remaining seven. The last one is through combat, with a minimum two hundred members of a particular division, and then you have to slay the Captain to take his place."

"Hmm, well my promotion was considerably different, and I have a feeling I should get to the bottom of it." Ichigo stated.

"Ichigo be careful. There's a lot you still have to learn about the Soul Society." Isshin warned.

" I know, it's not like I believe that they did this purely out of gratitude." His Son replied seriously. With a heavy sigh he got to his feet, and stretched. "Later. Please don't torment her with your idiocy, she's been through a lot recently." Ichigo stated before going towards the doors.

"Ah, young love." Isshin sighed nostalgically. His only response was the sound of a slamming door.

* * *

_Soul Society- 1st Squad HQ_

Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto had to suppress a sigh. He was well aware that the situation would cause problems. If it was up to him he would've never offered young Kurosaki the position, at least not now, and let him go on his merry way. But apparently Central 46 had other ideas about that.

That was why he was currently being stared upon by twelve pair of eyes.

"Yamamoto-sama I believe that the situation about young Kurosaki has to be explained." Unohana finally broke the silence that ruled over the room since the start of the meeting.

After the situation with Aizen had finished, Central 46 made a few adjustments to the Gotei 13 system. Now Captains had to meet at least once every two months to discuss any situation at hand. Every member had to be present, unless some extraordinary circumstance prevented it.

"I agree, what is the meaning of this Commander-sama?" SoiFon said. "Why did we let that…boy in our ranks?"

"His appointment was against the law." Byakuya stated calmly.

"Maa, maa cut the old man some slack." Kyoraku said placatory. "He'll explain this, right?"

Yamamoto finally sighed.

"Kurosaki Ichigo must absolutely not know what is said in this room." He stated, content that everyone nodded. "His appointment was ordered by the Soul King himself."

Stunned silence filled the room as the Captain's looked between each other, confirming that they hadn't misheard.

"Yet there was another order issued by Central 46 in case of refusal …. We were ordered to detain him if necessary." He said shocking the gathered even more.

"That bullshit!" Shinji exclaimed in fury. "The kid almost gets himself killed for us, and in return we're going to arrest him?!"

"Calm down." Yamamoto didn't raise his voice, but it was enough to stop the blonde Captain.

"I agree with blondie here." Zaraki snorted. " Those bunch of pussies are just scared of him. I don't like it."

"Neither do I." Komamura added. "Ichigo Kurosaki's been our valiant ally even since Aizen's betrayal."

"There is no honor in such behavior." Byakuya said with calm demeanor, but his narrowed eyes said volumes of his ire.

"Nor beauty." Rojuro added, brushing his locks aside.

"Genryusai-sama what caused Central 46 to made such decision?" Ukirake asked.

"There has to be a good reason for this, but I can't fathom one now." Toshiro added.

"Ichigo Kurosaki is too powerful to roam freely, that was the argument." Yamamoto stated. "I can see their reasoning… the youngster defeated Aizen, while none of us could, and we still don't know how." He was about to rub his beard, but he forgot that he was missing an arm, and the other was occupied by his cane/sword.

His statement silenced the other Captains. That was the biggest thing that was bugging them. How a boy, who was a Shinigami for less than a year, managed to beat a man that defeated most of this room's occupants, not even being at full strength at the time.

"I can see their point, but it's not reason enough to antagonize the boy." Unohana frowned. During her long servitude Central 46 had made many bad decisions, but this one was close to the top. Even in this very room Ichigo had at least three Captains that would side with him in case of problems. "If a situation arises, our combined strength should be more than enough to put him down."

"That was what we thought about Aizen, and look how that ended." SoiFon pointed out. "I can organize his capture if necessary."

"Now that is too far Captain Soifon. Ichigo is not Azien." Ukitake chastised her. "Unless we give him a very good reason, he won't turn on us."

"That's the point! No matter the reason, he shouldn't do that, duty comes before everything else." SoiFon countered. "Every Shinigami knows that."

"He's still a living human, our code isn't technically binding him." Kensei pointed.

"It did the moment he accepted the Haori from our Captain Commander." Byakuya stated, with obvious displeasure in his voice.

"Rather was bullied into it. How was he supposed to say no to Yamamoto-sama in front of four thousand Shinigami?" Shinji asked rhetorically. "No matter how stubborn he is, he's still a kid. That was not fair to him."

"I agree, we can't throw such responsibility on him like that." Rojuro asked. "It should be his decision, Central 46 be damned."

"Watch your mouth!" SoiFon snapped, earning a glare from the hollowfied Shinigami. "Your words are borderline treasonous!"

"It was the only way he would accept the position." Yamamoto spoke up before an argument erupted between the Captains. "We cannot allow for his potential to be wasted in prison. Your duty is to ensure that he remains a Captain, that's an order."

"What if he refuses?" SoiFon pressed.

"Then we'll take necessary steps." The Captain Commander said shortly. "I conclude this session as-" He paused when he felt a particular Reiatsu pass through the Sekaimon.

"Speak about the devil and he will come." Kyoraku mumbled with a smirk. "So I guess we're waiting for him, eh?"

* * *

_Sekaimon Gate_

Ichigo landed on the creamy white pavement, and calmly marched towards the 1st Squad HQ, hoping to find the Captain Commander. He was quite suspicious of this sudden promotion, and was sure the Soul Society had an ulterior motive, but he couldn't guess as to what.

_'Heed your Father's warning Ichigo. We still aren't knowledgeable enough about the Soul Society.'_ Zangetsu said.

'I know, I know but I still can't shake that feeling that something is going on… hell we can't catch a break for even a moment?' He shook his head. 'Zangetsu? I want to ask you something.'

_'Then ask Ichigo, and I'll answer to the best of my ability.'_ His sword spirit replied.

'How is that I still have you and my powers? Wasn't the Final Getsuga Tensho supposed to destroy you?'

_'That was what I thought as well, but it seems that I was mistaken. I was sure that I would perish after you executed the ability.'_ Zangetsu said thoughtfully._ 'Something must have happened that stopped the deterioration of our powers.'_

'I can only think of that strange light when the Hogyoku disappeared, nothing else happened after that.' Ichigo deduced.

_'There is that possibility….but regardless of the reason, I'm happy to still be with you.'_ Zangetsu said warmly.

'Thanks, I appreciate you too' Ichigo returned.

**'Kami what a bunch of fags! I'm going to puke.'** Hichigo snorted disgusted.

'And now the moment's gone.' Ichigo said flatly. At that moment he reached the building, standing before the large doors with a large one written in Kanji.

Without thinking he pushed the doors open.

"Oh hey guys." He greeted the gathered Captains. "You're having a meeting? Guess I'll come later, sorry for interrupting."

"You're not interrupting Kurosaki-san. What's more you should be in this meeting, you're a Captain too now." Unohana said, smiling slightly.

"Yeah, actually I wanted to ask about that. Can someone explain this whole thing to me?" Ichigo looked at Captain Commander questioningly.

"Central 46 decided to reward you for your valor in the last war." The Captain Commander lied smoothly. "Additionally you were given a monetary reward, which should be in your account." This part was true.

"Really? Sweet." Ichigo felt Tia's presence wouldn't strain his used to be humble budget that much now. "But can I drop the positon... err respectfully of course? I'm honored and such, but I have virtually no idea about what being a Captain entails, and I basically don't know Kido in general." Ichigo decided to play oblivious. He didn't need them to know that he suspected them of something.

"Both of which are amendable, Kurosaki Ichigo." Yamamoto said calmly. "To be offered the position of Captain is a great honor."

"I know, but I'm really not interested." Ichigo crossed his arms. "I really don't want to leave my life in human world."

"No one is going to force you to, Ichigo." Shinji said. "You can be here on let's say the weekends, and if something pops up. Besides it will be a great opportunity to hang out more!" He gave him his trademark grin, even if he had to force it. To which Ichigo responded with his trademark scowl.

"Now I really don't want the job. Besides I like my life back home, just because you lived like crap doesn't mean I do." He deadpanned.

"Damn insensitive bastard." Shinji muttered angrily, but he was starting to grow anxious. This was going in very wrong direction fast.

"Oh don't be like that Ichigo." Kyoraku said lazily. "It's fun to be a Captain. You get privileges, nice paydays out of it, and, not to mention, you might get some pretty ladies in you Division."

"Are you trying to bribe me Kyoraku-san?" Ichigo asked incredulously. Now he was certain something was going on here.

"Nah. I'm just enumerating the pros of being a Captain." He replied waving off the statement. Ichigo rolled his eyes and uncrossed his arms.

"Ok, enough of this. What is really going on here? I want to know everything before I take your offer, period." He stated firmly.

Tensions in the room raised drastically. Ichigo just called their bluff, and now unknowingly his future was at stake.

Before anyone else spoke Ukitake broke the silence.

"Ichigo-san is being a Captain that great a sacrifice for you?" He asked. "You will be treated as our equal and be offered training in one of our arts. More if you ever so wished. Our entire history will be at your disposal. You could grow as a person, and as a Shinigami."

"You're still dodging the question, Ukitake-san. Why me? What was the reason behind my promotion?" Ichigo pressed, losing patience. "I'm not walking into something blind."

A reasonable stance, was the thought passed through the minds of the gathered Captains. If only Ichigo knew how thin of ice he was treading.

"We're reforming, Kurosaki Ichigo." Ukitake said. "We pulling our ranks together. The last war showed the scale of our negligence and almost destroyed the Soul Society. That is why we're gathering all skilled individuals we can, and working on their improvement. Let's face it, in the human world you won't learn what we're offering."

"I've witnessed your fighting style multiple times Kurosaki Ichigo, it is sloppy and lacks finesse. You're also wasting large amounts of Reiatsu on pointless maneuvers." Byakuya stated. "There is a lot of room for improvement."

"More like we can't let a loose cannon just keep running around." Zaraki stated with all the subtlety of a rock.

Then everything clicked.

'Don't let them put a leash on you, one way or another.' Aizen's words echoed through his mind. 'Fuck…' He looked around warily, for the first time fearing for his safety.

The rest of the Captains, minus a few, were starring dumbstruck at Kenpachi for his carelessness. They all had seen the momentary shock on the young man's face, which to their dismay was followed by a wary look. They instatnly saw his body tense as if they would attack him on spot.

'Zangetsu will I be able to use Final Getsuga Tensho again? I mean I just went back to my original powers?' Ichigo asked hastily.

_'I doubt it Ichigo. Initially it might have killed you. To try it so soon will surely kill you. It might be years before you might use it again safely.'_ He said.

'Damn it…' He grit his teeth. A feeling of bitterness washed over him. He fought and bled countless times for them, and this is how they repay him? He was about to lash out, but stopped. What would that action cause to his family and friends? He doubted that they would kill him. From what he heard he was way too popular for that, and it might cause unrest amongst the Shinigami. But they could arrest him.

His friends would immediately rush to his side, and surely get beaten by the Captains…

Not to mention there was a certain blonde Arrancar sleeping blissfully in his bed, would will surely end up dragged into this.

And while the Soul Society might spare him and his friends, she would instantly be put to death without a trial.

So he had two choices, fight for his freedom and possibly lose everything he cared about, or submit a part of his freedom and guarantee the safety of his family and friends.

'Well it's not like they aren't trying to sweeten the deal.' He thought about the position of Captain and the hefty income weren't bad terms after all. 'It might also help me cover Tia.'

Ichigo sighed loudly, drawing their attention.

"Whose idea was this?" He finally asked deflating.

"Central 46 ordered us Ichigo-san, and none of us are happy because of it." Unohana said gently, coming as close to the truth as possible." I would wish it would be other way around."

"I can see that." He deadpanned glaring at SoiFon, who looked ready to strike. "Fine. I accept the terms, but I won't be your lapdog."

"No one is asking you to be, and a little responsibility might do you some good." Her smile widened as tension slowly left the room.

"I hope so." Without further talk Ichigo promptly turned on his heel and left the room, leaving the meeting behind. They all couls sense his ire and bitterness.

"That could have gone better." Toshiro mumbled. "I was pretty sure he was about to attack us. Something held him back."

"I don't blame him." Zaraki said with a huff.

"The hell Kenpachi?" Shinji said. "Might as well tell him that we would bring him in if he refused out demands too. Now he's pissed off and has every right to be. I just started getting him to like me." He threw his hands into the air.

"He suspected something already. Now he feels betrayed, and we'll have a lot of work ahead of us to regain his trust." Unohana shook her head.

"It's not like we're forcing him to do a grunt job. We're giving him the position of Captain, he should at least feel some gratitude." Mayuri said exasperated. "He's such a brat."

"To him it's like we're taking away his freedom, which in truth we are." Komamura stated.

"He'll have to suck it up I guess." Kensai said with impatience. "Can we be done with this already? I have better things to do than standing here all day, and I have a bad taste in my mouth all of a sudden."

"This meeting is concluded. You are dismissed." Captain Commander simply said, feeling that the orange haired Shinigami would be the cause of numerous headaches in the future.

* * *

_Seireitei Streets_

"Come on Renji, I can feel Ichigo right around the corner!" Rukia urged her childhood friend.

"What's the rush? We saw him like two days ago." The red head replied.

"Yeah but he's just been to a meeting. That means it's official now!" She said with excitement. "I can't wait to see his rea-" She paused when the object of her interest came from beyond a corner.

Rukia and Renji expected many things, joy, glee, smugness etc., but not the look of pure anger and bitterness.

"Ichigo…" She said drawing his attention. "Are you alright?"

"Oh, hey, I didn't notice you." He greeted them offhandedly. "And no, I just got screwed over by Central 46."

"What do you mean?" Renji asked bewildered. Ichigo explained what occurred at the meeting, including the indirect threat Central 46 made if he refused. "Well son of a bitch."

"I know! I have a half mind to go there and show my disapproval." Ichigo growled.

"Yeah you really have half mind!" Rukia exclaimed whacking his head. "Do you have any idea how stupid that would be? You should be happy that the Gotei 13 likes you."

"Maybe something stupid will make them reconsider. I mean I know I could get a worse offer, but still. An ultimatum is an ultimatum, no matter how sweet." He grumbled. "Now I have to think of how to do both school and my Captain's duties."

"Can't you have Kon take over from time to time?" Rukia suggested. "He did well when we were away in Los Noches."

"I think so, but I'm still not happy about this." Ichigo refused to budge an inch on the matter.

"A little responsibility will do you good, Ichigo. You might even like it." Rukia smiled. She was excited at the thought that he would be spending more time in the Soul Society.

"She's got a point Ichigo, or do you think you can't handle it?" Renji taunted.

"I believe that's Captain Kurosaki to you, VICE-Captain Abarai." Ichgio grinned evilly, making the other man scowl. "Oh yeah, I can get used to this."

"See you're already enjoying it." Rukia said in good nature.

"Yeah…listen Rukia I have a favor to ask. Can you ask your Brother for some info about my appointment? I mean they told me why they were doing this, but I want to have some proof that there aren't any other ulterior motives."

"I can try. But know my Brother, still I will try nevertheless. Don't you worry Ichigo you have many friends here." Rukia stated, putting her hand on his shoulder.

"Thanks. Sorry to cut and run, but I gotta head out. See ya later." He waved them goodbye.

"Wait! Have you seen your Squad HQ yet?" She asked.

"I will in about two weeks. Hachi told me that it is still under renovation, not to mention we have to get some actual members first." He told them. "He said he'd get a hold of me when everything's ready."

"Ah ok then... see you soon." Rukia said hiding her disappointment.

"Yeah, don't let that whole Captain thing go to your head, I'll be catching up soon enough." Renji warned with a friendly scowl.

Ichigo smirked and Shunpo'ed toward the Senkaimon, leaving his two friends behind.

After about half an hour later he was walking to his house. On the way he recalled something about a hefty reward for his efforts. Pulling out his smart phone he logged into his bank account, and almost stumbled over his own legs.

They were waaay too many zeros there.

He could buy two luxurious apartments in the center of Tokyo, and live for a year like a king. Only after that he would have to be worry about his finances.

"Ok, I've got to admit they know how to make a proposal appealing." Ichigo admitted getting the feeling that this might not be so bad after all.

He was still going to be cautious. The sugar coating was thick, but he would still get at the bottom of his so called promotion.

Deep in thought he reached his house and found it empty downstairs, meaning that his Father was working.

He went upstairs and opened the door to his room.

To be honest Ichigo expected to find his bed empty, without even a note of farewell. He was even more surprised by the fact that Tia was now blissfully sleeping. She was so tired that she hadn't even felt his approach. He looked at her peaceful face for few seconds, then his eyes traveled south…. He left the room rather quickly, chasing off any indecent thoughts.

Ichigo decided to give her few more minutes, and went to make her some snacks. He missed the small figure crawling inside the room.

Ichigo would let her sleep as long as she wanted, but it was already late afternoon and if they don't hurry the shops would closed.

He prepared two sandwiches and a glass of orange juice.

Ichigo had just stepped off the stairs….

"Neeeeee-saaaaaannnnn." Only to dodge an oncoming projectile, which bounced repeatedly off the corridor's walls.

Ichigo would face palm if his hands weren't occupied. He walked into his room and saw Tia's disheveled appearance, irritation on her face…which mean that she as probably furious, given her limited expression.

"Are you alright?" He asked carefully.

"What was that vile creature?" Tia growled in a dangerously low voice.

"Oh that was just Kon. He's a Mod Soul, and he can sometimes get very….liberal with personal space." Ichigo replied, sweating slightly at her steely look.

"Then tell him that invading a lady's personal space without a consent can have severe consequences." She uttered in deadly voice.

"Understood." Ichigo gulped. "I made this for you. You must be hungry after all this time." He presented his offering. And indeed Tia was starving, but it was not a hunger she got used to in her years as Hollow. It was a normal one….not the mind-numbing animistic one driven by fear of devolution.

He handled her the plate of sandwiches, and put the glass on the night stand. Tia took a careful first bite and chewed slowly.

It was the first time in over century that she had normal food. While the sandwiches weren't anything special to her, it tasted like a dish from a five star restaurant.

Ichigo saw all of this. He could almost swear that a smile was building on her face, and once more he was struck with desire to see a full smile on her face.

Ichigo decided to wait until she finished before he spoke. He sat down on his desk chair and watched her.

"So was it good?"

"Yes, you have my gratitude." Ichigo could swear that he heard warmth in her voice. She took the glass of juice and gulped it down in one go.

"Ok so after you're done, we'll head to the mall and buy you some clothes." Ichigo stated, moving out of the room. "I'll be waiting downstairs."

Tia finished the other sandwich and quickly dressed. She made her way downstairs and found Ichigo on the sofa, tinkering with some small flat device. Noticing her he got up and went to the hall to grab his winter coat, and he handed her one too.

They went out and caught a bus to the city center. They took a seats next to each other, Tia near the window taking in the sights and Ichigo next to her.

"Tomorrow we can go on a tour around the city if you want. I can introduce you to few of my friends who are aware of spirits too. They will help you adjust in school and give you cover if necessary." Ichigo explained.

Tia glanced at him, nodding in acknowledgment. She still had a problem in believing that the young Shinigami's hospitality was simply out of the goodness of his heart. A trait that only she exhibited in deserts of Hueco Mundo.

Yet she also noticed that Ichigo seemed a little bit absent minded. He hadn't tried to strike up a conversation like before, and his eyes had a faraway look in them.

'Is he regretting his offer?' Tia mused. She was aware that she was causing him many problems, but he insisted on her staying. 'Second thoughts?'

**'Maybe instead of guessing just ask what's bugging him.'** Tiburon suggested.

'I don't want to pry, it would be rude.' She replied calmly. 'Whatever his concerns are he won't need my input. I'm not his friend.'

**'You, my dear wielder, are an idiot. If you're so worried about him having second thoughts, maybe ask what's wrong and let him that you give a damn about his problems. You know show a little gratitude.'** Tiburon snapped in exasperation.

'You misunderstand me. I simply do not think of myself as qualified to ask such questions. We met yesterday and I used to be his enemy.' Tia explained.

**'Just humor me and speak with him. You saw how badly he takes your silent treatment.'** Tiburon urged.

Tia sighed and turned her head to Ichigo.

"Ichigo-san…" She drawled his attention. "I come to notice that you're unusually silent." She hesitated for a second. "Is something wrong?"

Ichigo looked into her eyes and saw guilt in them.

'Great she thinks that it's her fault.' Ichigo sighed. "Well I have few things on my mind, but don't worry it's not your fault." Ichigo smiled, reassuring her conscience. They sat a few more seconds in silence. One was unsure if he should share his problems with his companion, the other if she should ask about them.

Finally Ichigo decided to share his problems with Tia. He told her about how the Soul Society practically strong armed him into accepting the position of Captain, and of his internal conflict between his freedom and the safety of those close to him.

Before he ended his tale, they were off the bus and walking towards the mall.

Tia had to admit that when he finished her opinion and respect for him sky rocketed.

She was struck by how close their ways of thinking were. Ichigo seemed like a person that would lay his life on the line for his loved ones, just like she would for her Fraccion.

And how similar his situation was to hers, when Aizen offered her her power. Both of them were cornered by their supposed allies, and had truly no choice but to accept their offer, or let their family and friends suffer for their defiance.

What concerned her even more, was the part where he admitted that her safety had tipped the scale in favor of accepting their proposal. Somehow she felt flattered that she was even taken in consideration by him, especially in such crucial matters.

"Tia-san?" Ichigo asked, seeing her thoughtful expression.

"Forgive me. I was thinking…while I cannot say whether your decision was correct or not, but I can say that it was…noble." She noticed the surprise on his face. "Yet you mentioned that my safety was a factor, and that swayed your judgment… Please refrain from making further decisions based on my well being." Tia could swear that she heard Tiburon face palm. "There's no need for you to sacrifice yourself for me….I am... not worth it." She added quietly.

She was mildly startled when Ichigo suddenly paused and glared at her.

"What the hell Tia?" He snapped his temper rising. "You can't mean that?"

"I'm not worth your sacrifice." She replied calmly, failing to see why he was getting so worked up over this.

"Don't you say that! You are not worthless!" Ichigo said hotly, furrowing his eyebrow in disapproval of her low self-esteem.

"No matter how much I sacrifice myself it never achieves anything…thus making me worthless." She recalled Aizen's cruel words after he delivered his first strike. Then adding the salt to the wound by deeming her not worthy of even a second swing of the sword.

She never knew how deeply those words cut her. Only when she said it aloud she realized the horrible truth behind them.

"That's bullshit! Did someone tell you that?! I'll kick their ass!" Ichigo growled, feeling furious.

"You already have." Tia said quietly, shutting him up. "But that doesn't change the fact that he was right in the end. My sacrifice meant nothing."

"Aizen was a dick and a liar, Tia. He held life as no more than something to be used for his own ambition. You shouldn't listen to him." Ichigo cringed internally slightly at the hypocrisy of his statement. "I think you're worth saving, and I'm not regretting my decision."

"Why did you do it?" She asked again. She half expected a 'don't know' answer.

"Do I really needed a reason? Besides how could I leave you there in that state." Ichigo said.

"So it was pity." She looked at the ground ashamed. Tia almost flinched when she felt his hands on her shoulders. She rose her head to meet his eyes.

"It was respect for your will to live Tia, and my own desire to help." Ichigo said warmly. "I saw that you were worth saving, and my suspicions were correct, you're a good person Tia. You got dealt a bad hand in life, so if I can help you out, I will to the best of my abilities. Just because we fought on different sides doesn't make the individuals bad. Now no more sulking, and let's do some shopping, I've heard that it cheers up any woman." He gave her gentle pat on a shoulder, and moved towards the mall.

Tia once more was moved to the very core by his passionate speech. Unable to form a coherent replay she just quietly followed the orange haired Shinigami.

She couldn't believe just how insightful this young man was. He seemed to have the natural ability to pass through her tight defenses, call out her worries, and then calm them.

A fearsome ability.

'Just who are you, Kurosaki Ichigo?' Tia wondered. For someone who just met her recently, he seemed to be able to read her like an open book, wounding her pride a bit. She always thought of herself as hard to read, but that man seemed to make it his goal to constantly prove her wrong.

She shoved those thoughts back into a deep corner of her mind.

The mall was quite standard. A big building with lots of varying shops, pretty much having everything. The Christmas decorations were still up, so everyone would feel the Christmas spirit a bit longer.

And if looked like it was under siege, if the amount of people was any indication. Ichigo warned her to stay close or she might get lost.

"Ok Tia lets get in there, and get you some decent clothing." Stated Ichigo as he walked towards the clothing store, but he the noticed that Tia wasn't following him. "Hey. What's wrong?" He asked concerned, then he noticed she was looking at the ground, slightly red. She mumbled something that Ichigo didn't catch.

"Can you repeat that? I didn't catch it." He asked.

"I don't have any money." She replied, embarrassed. Unlike the rest of the Espada, Tia had done actual research about the World of the Living and the Soul Society, so she wasn't totally oblivious to the ways of this world. While technology eluded her, she knew that in the Human World everything had a price, and she was flat broke. Worse, even her clothes were borrowed. She was completely dependent on the young Shinigami. Tia hated the feeling of over using his hospitality.

"So?" Ichigo asked cheerfully, not understanding the problem.

"I do not want to burden you any-" Tia's cheeks actually turned slightly pink. Ichigo felt had to keep his mouth from falling open. Somehow his blonde companion got even more charming than before.

"Atatata, I told you to not worry about such things." He smirked. "Remember the part about giving me a hefty reward? Well it's more than I'll probably ever need, so let's buy you something nice."

Tia sighed in defeat, and followed him inside the shop.

"So what do you want to buy?" Ichigo asked looking around.

"I don't know." Tia admitted. To her all these clothes seemed ridiculous.

"What do you mean?" Ichigo asked, but he had some clues about what she meant.

"Remember, I was born more than a 100 years ago in Hawaii. At that time the place wasn't very modern. I dare say it was quite primitive, and my research about the human world didn't included much about fashion. So I'm at a loss." She answered. Ichigo could already see the implications of that statement.

'Damn. I should have brought Inoue or Tatsuki with me.' He thought, but he quickly discarded that idea. It would've blown Tia's cover in a second. 'Ok it seems he will have to do this the hard way.'

"Ok let's start with the basics…" He gulped, turning scarlet. "What kind of underwear do you want?"

"There are different kinds of underwear?" Tia asked.

'No, it can't be.' Ichigo sweat dropped. He could swear Hichigo laughing his ass off…"Erm you know…like panties…bra…" He blushed darker with each word.

"I know the word panties, but what does bra mean?" She asked again looking at the Shinigami, whose face paled and immediately grew deep red again. 'He's got some control over his blood flow.' She noticed.

"… Well... it's um... underwear that… holds your breasts. ….So they won't hang loose." He explained stumbling over each word, growing even more red.

"What's wrong with having your breasts unrestricted?" She asked, legitimately curious about that matter. In her previous life she wore only a sash over her waist, her breasts were always uncovered, and everyone was fine with it. Later on she wore some shirts. 'It seems that things became more prudish in this world.'

"Its. Well…I mean…dammit..." He took deep breath. "Let's just say that you need it." He cut the discussion. "Let's find someone who can help us with that." He looked around and found a worker.

"Excuse me, can you help us?" Ichigo asked politely. The worker was a female in her mid-twenties. She was average height and quite slim, she had black shoulder length hair, brown eyes, and round face.

"Of course, how can I help you?"

"My friend needs to buy some bras. She's a foreigner so she doesn't know the sizes here, can you help her?" Ichigo managed to say calmly.

"Sure, can you please raise your arms...woah" She gasped at Tia's bust. 'Have to be double D or even Fs' She thought. "Ok good, hold still." She measured Tia, and her eyes widened a little. "137cm in the bust. Ok looks like its DD-size cup, please wait a moment." She said as she went to the shelves.

"Geez, where did old man Urahara get a size like that?" Ichigo wondered loudly.

Tia rose her eyebrow.

"I mean the bra you're wearing now." Ichigo said, like it was obvious.

"I not wearing a bra. I only have this sweater on." She replied. After the meaning of her words sunk in, Ichigo felt his jaw hit his foot. But thanks to the arrival of shop assistant with a dozen pairs of bras, Ichigo managed to take his mind out of the gutter. Just barely…

"The dressing rooms are over there." She pointed in the direction to back of the shop. "If you need anything just call me." She smiled, and went back to her duties.

"Ok let's go." Ichigo said, and went with Tia to the dressing rooms. Tia went inside with the bras, and Ichigo pulled the curtain. Ichigo heard the sound of her sweater when she pulled it off, and despite his best efforts some 'thoughts' entered his mind, which usually weren't there.

He recalled his little talk with his bastard of a Father about her, and blushed some more. He was taken out of his 'thoughts' when Tia asked a question, which gave him a heart attack… another one…he lost count after fifth.

"Ichigo-san…how do I keep it on, it keeps falling off." Tia's voice sounded from behind the curtain.

He gulped hard, feeling his throat go dry as a dessert.

"You just hook it." He mumbled, sweating a river's worth.

"Can you help me with it?" She asked, getting a little annoyed because she just couldn't do it properly.

Meanwhile Ichigo had to control his breathing, after her request he started to hyperventilate. Slowly he moved the curtain, and walked into the dressing room. He saw Tia topless, except the bra she was fighting with. She had her back to him, but thanks to the mirror, Ichigo could clearly see the concentration and frustration that was on her face. Also thanks to the mirror, he could clearly see her breasts' movements as she struggled with hooking her bra. He felt cold sweat on his back. He managed to regain his composure, and steeled his resolve.

"Let me." He chocked. Tia stopped fighting with the hook, and rested her hand on her hips. Thanks to the mirror she could see the….unique face Ichigo was making as he hesitantly moved his hand to her back. She found it pretty entertaining watching his face like that. His lips where pulled into thin line, his eyes narrowed and were bloodshot, and his brows were furrowed, as if he was trying to solve some complicated problem. In addition to that he was sweating heavily, and was as red as a fully ripened strawberry.

**'Way to go Ti-chan!'** Tiburon cheered. **'I knew you had it in you!'**

'What do you mean?' Tia actually dreaded the answer.

**'I mean that you are now alone, half naked, with a young handsome teenager that's trying to dress you…Hmmm that usually works the other way round though.'** Tiburon mused.

Her comment made Tia realize her blunder. She felt her face grow hot. She allowed a man to see her in such an indecent state. She should have asked him to show her how to do it outside, not on her body.

A jolt of electricity ran down her back as she felt his finger brush against her skin.

But she kept her composure, not wanting to interrupt him.

Ichigo on the other hand was near popping a vein, as his hands slowly shortened the distance between them and Tia. He felt his blood pressure actually skyrocketing through the roof. He was certain that the human body wouldn't be able to handle these levels for much longer. When he finally grabbed the hook, he accidentally stroked her skin with his hand. He immediately noticed how smooth it was, blushing even more, if it was possible.

He banished away any indecent thoughts that came to him, and finally hooked her bra. When he let it go he felt his ankles going soft, then leaned heavily against the wall. After he calmed down he asked.

"So how does it fit?" Yep he just aged a decade, if the strain in his voice was any indication.

"It's….acceptable." Tia answered, trying to get used to the feeling of this new clothes.

"Good…try the other ones out." He said and quickly left the changing room to cool down.

'That was intense.' He thought. Ichigo, despite the fact he wouldn't admit it, he could still feel the sensation of her skin. It didn't matter that it was mere seconds, her smoothness and warmth wouldn't leave his thoughts. He never really had this kind of feeling before. When he touched other girls (of course in a totally friendly matter) he didn't have these sort of thoughts. But when he was near Tia, he just couldn't help it.

'Just cut it out!' He reprimanded himself. 'You barely know her and you're acting like some sort of perverted monkey.' Ichigo was getting little annoyed with himself. He was acting like some sort of over-hormonal teenager… Ok, he was still a teenager, but he certainly wasn't sex-crazed. Suddenly, his self-calming thoughts were interrupted by the voice he wished he would have liked to never hear again.

**'Ya really just suck, Ichigo.'** His inner hollow stated

'Buzz off freak. I don't want to speak to you.' He shot back, not wanting to hear this crap from his Hollow.

**'Don't care. Mind telling me what that was in the dressing room, hmm?'** Hichigo asked, with obvious disappointment in his voice.

'What was what?' He asked back.

**'The fact that you were alone with a half-naked hot chick, and you helped her dress up, you moron! You know Kingy usually it works the other way...'** He stressed the last part, mocking Ichigo.

'I'm not a perverted pig like you. I have morals, rules.' He told him with pride.

**'More like gay rules!' Hichigo almost yelled. 'Rule no 1: Dump every hot chick in a five miles radius. Rule no 2: If a chick makes moves on you look at rule no 1! Just tell me how many times you had the occasion to do a chick, but declined no matter how hot she was? Wait lets count, Rukia at least a few times, Orihime lost count, you could have her every day if you wanted. Yoruichi at least a few times, as well as that Matsumoto chick. Nel, of course in adult form, I'm not into brats. Not counting countless female Shinigami that literally glued themselves to their hero. Need I say more?'** Hichigo taunted.

'...'

**'Struck a nerve I see, and once again you let the perfect chance slip away.'** He said with actual sadness. **'If I only was in control...'**

'You would kill her you psycho!' Ichigo snapped.

**'Psssh, please as if I would waste such a fine piece of ass.'** He chuckled darkly

'I don't believe what I've just heard.' Ichigo said with fake tears. 'Zangetsu did you hear that?' He asked his Zanpaktou.

_'I did.'_ Zangetsu replied.

**'What? What did I say?'** Hichigo asked puzzled about their reaction.

'You just evolved from psychotic killer to psychotic rapist, I'm so proud of you.' Ichigo finished, his voice dripping with venom and sarcasm.

**'First: Fuck you. Second: Mark my words, she's now totally dependent on you, she owes you. Don't waste it. Cause if you do I will take my chance.'** With that Hichigo fell silent

_'Looks like he may be a problem in the future.'_ Zangetsu noticed.

'I know, hopefully nothing big.' Replied Ichigo. He was about to say some more, but he noticed Tia leaving the dressing room and looking around for him. He stood and went to her.

"So how does everything fit?" He asked, looking her over.

"They are fine." She replied calmly.

"Ok, so let's continue…" Ichigo started, when suddenly he noticed Inoue walking towards him.

"Oh Kurosaki-kun, Halibel-san, nice to see you." Inoue said, followed by Ishida, or what supposed to be Ishida. Ichigo couldn't tell, because he was literally buried under shopping bags.

"Yo, Inoue, Ishida" Ichigo replied.

"So what are you doing here?" Inoue asked.

"I'm buying some stuff for Tia, so she won't have to walk around in the same clothes every day." He told her.

"Oh I see. Hey Tia I see you chose some bras, how are they?" Inoue asked her with a smile.

"They are plausible, Ichigo-san helped me with their application." She replied politely, not knowing what trouble she just caused.

"Ara, how did he help you?" Inoue asked, making her smile a little forced, as her sight traveled to Ichigo. He was giving signs to Tia to not say anything more about what happened…vainly.

"I wasn't able to hook it and asked him to assist. He showed me how to." She explained.

'Jesus.' Ichigo thought, already seeing the complications that this would cause in near future.

"…." Inoue kept her 'friendly smile', but the veins on her forehead were clearly visible.

"Kurosaki….kun, mind telling me how you know so much about bras?" Inoue asked in a sweet voice, but Ichigo felt like Captain Unohana was standing in front of him.

'Women are sooo scary.' He thought, and started to tremble. 'Dammit what do I do? Tell her that it's a healthy interest in my age? Nope, she will call me a pervert, say that I couldn't say no to a lady? Wrong, to many problems will arise…I know!'

"Well I learned when my Sisters started buying theirs. Since I was older, and you know they won't ask my Father to do it in a thousand years." He replied trying to hide the obvious lie. He glanced at Ishida, and saw that he wasn't buying it, but thank God Inoue was naïve.

"Oh. It's great that you help your Sisters so much." He could literally see the steam coming out of her.

'Uffff close one.' He thought, and he was struck by an idea.

"Hey Inoue since you and Tia are both girls..." He started.

"My Kurosaki, your perceptive skills have greatly improved." Ishida taunted him, making Ichigo scowl back.

"Erm… so I thought…" He started again.

"No way…You did?" He mocked him, causing Ichigo to clench his fist and give him a death glare.

"That maybe you could help Tia pick out the rest of her clothes, while I and this four-eyed bastard have a little talk." His lips twisted into a cruel smile.

"Ok no problem." Inoue replied, happy that she could help her friend. Ichigo left the shop, and went to the nearest ATM. He noticed that the amount of money on his account almost hadn't changed, after he withdrew a decent amount.

'It's good to be rich.' He thought.

When he got back to the shop he handed Inoue the clip of money, and watched in amusement at her reaction. She had asked where he got that amount, and raised her eyebrows when he summarized the whole story. Ichigo also told Inoue that she could buy all she wants for herself too. Minutes later he and Ishida were at the nearest café, ordering some coffee.

"So you accepted the promotion after all I see." Uryu said, and started sipping his coffee.

"It's not that simple Ishida." Ichigo quickly summarized his meeting with the Captains.

"Damn, one would think that they would be more grateful." The young Quincy replied.

"From what they told me, it's mostly Central 46's doing, not theirs. I have a feeling that it's not the whole truth, but they went out of their way to sweeten the deal at least." Ichigo stated.

"Still it's not fair after all you've done, to label you a loose cannon…" He paused. "Speaking of loose cannons, I see you decided to keep it."

"Her." Ichigo glared at his friend. "And yes, she's staying with me."

"Does that have anything to do with you "helping" her hook her bra?" Ishida asked.

"W-What?! Don't be ridiculous!" Ichigo replied quickly, with his cheeks coloring "I'm not like that!"

"You mean you're not into women?" He retorted, abashed.

"No you moron I am, but I didn't take her in for that!" He stated firmly. Albeit some traitorous part of his mind felt regret at that.

"Then why did you do it?" Ishida wanted to hear a really good reason for his insanity. "I want the real reason, Kurosaki."

"Like I said, it was the right thing to do…and I had a hunch." Ichigo admitted.

"A hunch? You brought a potential danger to your house, based on a hunch?" Ishida asked in disbelief.

"Trust me, I am right…she's like Nel, Ishida. She's a good person who's just had a shitty life." Ichigo answered sadly.

"I just hope you know what you're doing." He sighed. "This can backfire quite badly."

"I know, but I just can't let them kill her." He said with a fire in his eyes.

"Why? What's so important about her?"

Ichigo was saved from answering by the arrival of both their companions. The moment Tia came into Ichigo's vision his jaw hit the floor, again.

She wore a white scarf, a tight black T-shirt, with a red jacket on top of it, that ended half way through her abdomen. Black leggings that matched her T-shirt, and white high heeled boots. She bought herself a black coat with a heavy hood, white fur on the ends (very much like Ichigo's, but a more feminine version.) Tia noticed his gaze, and felt little uncomfortable. He was looking at her like some sort of prey. She didn't know what this kind of gaze meant in Human World.

Ichigo had noticed his mistake, and quickly stopped staring. After that they separated Tia's bags from Inoue's, and everyone went home.

When Ichigo and Tia arrived home, Ichigo had to repel his Father's attack before anything. Then they got to his room and unpacked all the bags.

Ichigo was impressed by Inoue's resourcefulness. Now Tia had everything she needed. From a toothbrush, to perfumes, and from boots to winter hats. After they finished unpacking and putting the clothes in the wardrobe, and since it was getting late, Ichigo proposed that they could watch a movie.

He choose a comedy movie that failed to draw even slight smirk from her. Tia's only comment was that it was mildly entertaining.

While Tia was taking a shower, Ichigo pulled out his spare futon and changed into his pajamas.

'What a day.' He thought, sitting on his bed. 'Guess there's no rest for the wicked.' He chuckled to himself.

After a few minutes the door to this room opened, revealing Tia dressed in simple yellow pajamas….which had rather thin material.

"Uh time for bed." Ichigo said quickly, trying desperately not to stare. Tia passed him and his eyes traveled down to look at her shapely rear. 'Kami kill me now.'

Ichigo turned off the lights and lay down on his futon, while Tia took his bed.

"Good night Tia." Silence answered him, but by now he was used to her minimalistic way of speaking. Just before sleep took him, he heard a silent whisper though.

"Good night Ichigo."

Content he fell asleep.

* * *

A/N

Ok another chapter done! Thank you all for your reviews and I humbly ask for more!


	4. Light&Dark

Chapter 4

As per usual Ichigo rose early. It was kind of surprising that it was the alarm clock, not his Father, that woke him up. He guessed that it might have something to do with his guest.

He tried to leave the room as silently as possible, but Tia woke nevertheless. It seemed that one night of rest allowed her senses to come back to their peak.

"Sorry, I didn't want to wake you up." Ichigo apologized.

"It's not your fault. Life in Hueco Mundo makes you heighten your senses, especially hearing." Tia said stretching. Ichigo had to turn his head, because the urge to just stare at her was pretty strong.

"That's kinda cool, so any specific for breakfast?" He asked.

"Anything will be fine, Ichigo-san." Tia replied, blinking the sleepiness away.

"Got it. One anything on the way." He joked, but Tia's reaction was only quizzical. "That was a joke."

"I see." She answered flatly.

"Errr…I guess I'll go then." He replied awkwardly and left the room. Tia found herself alone agian, at least psychically.

**'You could at the least smile. He's trying to befriend you, you ass.'** Tiburon chastised.

'Aren't you getting bold recently?' Tia asked in slight irritation.

**'Maybe, but you should try to befriend him too. If not for friendship then for self-preservation. He is a Captain, and if worse comes to worse he might be able to put in a good word for us.**' She suggested.

'I won't deceive him in such a manner…I'm not that _man_.' She thought with venom.

**'So back to square one, since you feel so strongly against deceiving him.'**

Tia closed her eyes, mulling over what her Inner Hollow said. Indeed there were benefits in having this young Shinigami as a friend. But she wasn't the type of person to think of friendships, even just potential, in such a cold way.

The real question was, did she really want to befriend him?

He appeared honest and sincere, and she found his morals admirable. His code was very similar to hers, not to mention he already stuck his neck out for her a few times. Then again she got burned once when she trusted a Shinigami, and those closest to her paid the price for that foolishness.

She needed more information about Kurosaki Ichigo, so she decided to observe him for a while. Maybe even be a little more open with him.

After she finished her morning needs, she walked down stairs to the kitchen. She found both men of the Kurosaki family there.

"Good morning Tia-san!" Isshin bumbled joyfully.

"Good morning Kurosaki-san." She took a seat and looked at the mug filled with… "Coffee?"

"Yes, is something wrong?" Ichigo asked.

"No, it's just been so long." She took a careful sip, languishing in the long forgotten taste again. Both men exchanges a look, but decided to not dwell on the matter.

"Ok I have to head to the clinic." Isshin said, finishing his own cup off. "Yuzu and Karin are coming back today, so don't forget to introduce them Son."

"I won't Dad." Ichigo waved him off, handing Tia a plate of scrambled eggs and toast. Then he took the seat opposite her. "After the breakfast we should go to the Urahara's to get your ID, and the rest of the transfer documents. After that maybe you can help me with my Hollow powers. A bit later we'll meet with my friends from school. They are aware of spirits, and will help to cover you while you are at school."

"Thank you." She looked into his eyes. "I'll do my best to repay you for your kindness."

"You know you don't have to do anything special. Just show me a few Hollow tricks and we'll call it even." He smiled back. "Since we're kinda running on my schedule today, is there anything you wanna do after everything?"

"I'm afraid I'm not yet acquainted with the means to pass time in the Human World." Tia replied.

"Well what did you for fun in Hueco Mundo?" Ichigo asked, wanting to know as much about her as possible.

"Fun?" Tia stared at him blankly.

"You know, when you were not fighting for survival…What did you do in your free time in Las Notches, for example?" Ichigo clarified.

"I mostly spent my time meditating, or talking with my faction." She said, hints of nostalgia in her voice. "Also I used to play the occasion game of chess with the man called Tosen. In fact he taught me how to play."

"So you like chess?" Ichigo inquired.

"It's quite a pleasant exercise for the mind. Do you know how to play?" She looked at him in slight expectation.

"I do, but I'm not very good." He rubbed his neck sheepishly. "But we can play if you want."

"I'd enjoy that." She curved her lips upward, just a bit. Ichigo's expression brightened by a noticeable margin.

After they finished breakfast and dressed, they made their way to Urahara's shop. When they arrived they found Tessai sweeping the patio.

"Good morning Ichigo-dono, Tia-dono, you're documents are ready." Tessai greeted them.

"Hey Tessai what's up?" Ichigo shook the large man's hand.

"It's been peaceful Ichigo-dono, how are the things on your side? I hope being a Captain hasn't gone to much to your head?" His smile fell when he saw Ichigo's expression darken. "What happened?"

"Can we talk inside? I'll need Urahara-san there too." He stated. Tessai nodded and put his broom aside, leading them inside.

Urahara was found sitting in the living room drinking tea.

"Ah, what a pleasant sight to these eyes." He smiled to them. On the table before him lay a white envelope. "These are you documents, Tia-san. ID, school records, addresses, and some medical bills to cover your story."

"Thank you Urahara-san." Tia took the envelope. "I appreciate this."

"Think nothing of it, but could someone be kind enough to tell me why Tessai looks rather troubled?"

Ichigo took a seat and gave Urahara a deadly serious face. Tia sat next to him, while Tessai took a place near Urahara.

"Oh boy…" The man muttered.

"You know my sudden promotion…" Ichigo explained everything to them. From trying to bribe him into accepting, to Zaraki blabbing about loose cannons. "I can't say the deal's bad, it could have been much much worse, but that still doesn't make it right after all I've done for them."

"So what are we going to do?" Kisuke asked, his usual carefree manner gone.

"For now, nothing. I'll play by their rules for time being, but…" He paused and glanced at Tia. "If things go south I want you to smuggle her back to Hueco Mundo."

The Arrancar woman opened her mouth to protest, but Ichigo was faster.

"I promised to protect you, and I plan to keep my word. I won't allow you to be dragged into my mess. They'll probably detain me at worst, but you? They won't show any mercy to you Tia, and I don't want to see you die without giving you a fighting chance first." He put his hand on her shoulder. Again his words called up a strange feeling in her chest. He put his hand down and returned his gaze to Urahara. "I'll also want you to stop my friends from coming to my aid. If I'm taken out they won't stand any better chance." It wasn't an arrogant declaration, but simply cold hard fact.

"What about you Ichigo-dono? We can hide you too." Tessai stated.

"They'll will go after my family then, to lure me out." Ichigo said grimly. Tessai and Urahara exchanged a look. Such practice wasn't beneath the 2nd Division either. "Can you arrange all that for me?"

"Yes, we can…I'll contact Yoruichi and make some preparations." Urahara agreed without hesitation.

"Ichigo-dono I wish to train you in Kido Arts, to help speed up your progress." Tessai said. "Can you visit me every evening from now on?"

"Maybe not every, but I'll come by whenever I can." Ichigo nodded. "I seriously need to amp up my training. It might only be my paranoia, but I don't want to get caught off guard."

"It's reasonable to be always on guard." Tia spoke, surprising everyone. "Even the most inviting place can be a nest of vipers."

"Wisely spoken." Urahara commented.

"Since that's settled, do you mind if we use your training area, Hat's n Clogs?" Ichigo asked while standing.

"Be my guest Ichigo. Oh and before I forget, Ururu-chan has your clothes repaired Tia-san." Urahara told them with a smile.

"Thank you." Tia replied politely and followed Ichigo, who thanked the Shopkeep with a smile and nod.

* * *

_Karakura Town Center_

"Man what's the big deal about meeting this new student?" Keigo complained.

"Stop whining." Tatsuki grumbled. "Orihime-chan said it's important."

"I hope she's hot!" Chizuru licked her lips. "Of course no one can beat my Hime-chan!"

"Maa, maa, let's not get lost in delusions, Honsho-san." Mizuiro smiled. "Look there's Inoue-chan and she's with…Chado and Ishida?"

"Hey guys, is it just me or do they look worried to you?" Keigo stated growing serious. "Can this be about those things?"

"You know not everything revolves around that." Tatsuki pointed out.

"I think Keigo might be right. If they wanted to introduce a new student to us early, why not call Michiru, Kunieda, and Natsui too?" Mizuiro stated, folding his arms. "But I guess we'll find out in the minute."

"Hey guys." Orihime greeted with a smile, but they all could see that it was forced. The group exchanged greetings before Inoue got their attention. "Why don't we go to somewhere more quiet."

"Sure." Tatsuki said shrugging, but she was starting to get nervous. They walked while chatting idly, but something was amiss from their usual banter. After a few minutes they went into some park and chose a pretty secluded area, that way no one could eavesdrop.

"Ok guys let's cut to the chase, what is this all about?" Keigo said unusually serious. "It's not about the transfer student is it?"

"No it is about t..her, you see we have a situation." Ishida said. "That transfer student is an Arrancar."

"Stop right here!" Mizuiro rose his hand. "Aren't those the things that Ichigo was fighting against?"

"Yes, but let me explain." Chado said and went on to tell them about the events which took place three days ago.

"I always knew he was a bleeding heart, but damn." Tatsuki summed up their collective thoughts. "Is he mad? She can hurt him and his family!"

"My words exactly." Ishida commented, adjusting his glasses.

"So how strong is she exactly?" Mizuiro asked.

"Enough that she should be able to beat us easily. She was ranked third in their army." Inoue said. "Only Kurosaki-kun is able to defeat her at this point."

"So what do we do?" Chizuru asked. "Should I use my anti-Arrancar female techniques on her?"

Chado, Inoue, and Ishida sent her blank stares.

"Long story, don't ask." Tatsuki said.

"…I don't believe I shall. Moving along. I think it's best to go with Kurosaki's madness for a while, since he's rather adamant about keeping her." Ishida stated.

"She might turn out trustworthy." Chado pointed. "Ichigo is a good judge of character, after all."

"I…agree." Inoue said after some hesitation. "But it never hurts to be cautious."

"So let's agree not judge her to harshly, and give her a chance while keeping a close eye on her." Keigo summed up.

"That's pretty much it. So anybody up for pizza?" Inoue suggested.

* * *

Underground

"I have to say it's….impressive." Halibel stated, as she stepped onto the rocky desert sand, dressed into her white uniform again.

"Yup. Old man Urahara is pretty good at this kind of stuff." Ichigo replied. Both of them admired the vast underground desert. It was the type of desert that can be seen in the middle of United States of America and Mexico. Large rock formations stood proudly in the rays of the fake sun. A sea of rocky sand covered the area as far as the eye could see.

"How large is this facility?" She asked.

"Urahara told me that it's around thirty kilometers wide and long." Ichigo explained.

"How exactly did he build this? Humans should have noticed something like this. Not to mention the labor needed to do so." She wondered, imaging the amount of work and resources needed to complete such a project.

"Well when I asked him about that he only told me something like, 'Well the enthusiasm was all I needed to complete that project…but being a Captain largely supported my enthusiasm.'. I suppose with all the Soul Society resources it wasn't that hard. Than and he's supposed to be as smart or smarter than Aizen." Ichigo said grinning, imaging Shinigami digging this hole.

"I see." Halibel replied nodding. 'The shop owner really is interesting. I'll have to keep my eye on him.'

"It's a great place to train. No one will interrupt you, and everyone can have as much space as they want." He said smiling at her.

"So where do you think would be a good starting point?" Ichigo asked with eagerly

"Before I start teaching you any Arrancar techniques I want to gauge your power level. We will start with a spar." She stated surprising him slightly.

"Are you sure? I mean… you were pretty badly wounded not to long ago. Even with Inoue's healing you shouldn't overexert yourself." He said in concern.

"I can handle myself well enough. Do not worry about me." She replied, slightly flattered by his concern for her. "I will not go easy on you, as I want to see the full extent of your power." She warned.

"Fine. Just don't regret it." He said cockily, as he unsheathed his sword. Tia stared at him blankly. Ichigo blinked before face palming. "I'll be back in second."

Two minutes he came back with her sword and handed it to her. Tia adjusted the sheath on her back, and pulled her own sword out.

"Ready?" She asked.

"I was born ready..." He couldn't finish, because Halibel lunged at him. Her speed was so fierce that Ichigo barely managed to block. The force of her vicious stab sent him flying into the nearest rock.

"What the…" He began before he saw her flying towards him again. He sidestepped her attack and sent a devastating counter, only to have her duck under his sword and roundhouse him in the face. He flew and fell hard on the ground.

"I told you I wouldn't go easy on you, focus." She lectured him and making some distance. "Distraction leads to demise."

"It's more like an actual fight than a spar." He whined, massaging his sore face.

"That is the purpose of this exercise. To push you to the edge." She told him.

"You don't want to see me on the edge." He replied in a cautious dark tone.

* * *

_Flashback_

Roof of Las Notches

Ichigo was floating in darkness. His mind half aware. The only sensation he felt was excruciating pain, coming from his chest.

He was dying.

'Not like this… I still need to live.' His waning consciousness managed to muster. 'I have to save them.'

'**Tsk. Whining like a little bitch when you're about to die. HAHAHAHA!'** Hichigo cackled.** 'You're pathetic! It's time for me to show what I can do to that Emo. Hahaha!'**

'Don't…you…dare.' Ichigo felt his consciousness devoured by his Hollow.

"Save us Kurosaki-kun!" Inoue's desperate cry pierced through the shroud of darkness, robbing Ichigo of his last remaining senses.

From that point Ichigo could only watch in confusion at the unfolding events, with no control over his body.

Ulquiorra was standing in front of him….

"Who are you?" The Arrancar asked.

'What do you mean?' Ichigo thought drowsily

"Didn't you hear me? I asked who you are." Pale Arrancar repeated the question.

Ichigo opened his mouth to reply

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" His roar pierced everything…..

Darkness

'What happened? Where I am?' He looked around, fire was everywhere. 'What happened?' He tightened his grip on his sword. Then he noticed that he was holding something in his other hand.

Ichigo felt terror gripping his insides. 'I'M HOLDING A SEVERED LIMB!'

It was covered in black fur and bloody. There was liquid seeping through his fingers. He turned to Ulquiorra, noticing that he was missing an arm.

Ichigo was disgusted at that very moment, but he was feeling…proud. Proud that he finally managed to wound his enemy….

Darkness.

Ulquiorra's head was beneath Ichigo's foot. He pressed harder, seeing the head dig deeper into the ground.

"I see, no mercy. How very Hollow of you." The defeated Arrancar stated calmly.

Anger courses through Ichigo's veins, turning his vision even more red.

'I'm not a Hollow! You bastard, I will show you…' He spat venomously. A Cero charged between his horns. 'Die' He fired.

The explosion was tremendous. The power behind his Cero broke through the roof of the dome, devastating everything below.

Ichigo felt sick when he saw the damage. Ulquiorra was now nothing more than a torso with a head, one wing and an arm attached. The Hollowfied Shinigami threw him toward the roof top .

With menacingly slow steps he reached the body, pointing the tip of his sword at the fallen Arrancar's throat.

But just before the blade pierced his pale skin his hand was stopped.

"That's enough, Kurosaki. The battle is over. He's our enemy, but there's no need to carve up his corpse." Ishida said, holding his hand firmly. Hollowfied Ichigo put more strength his arm.

"I said enough, Kurosaki!" Ishida raised his voice. The Quincy felt his hand slowly giving under the Hollow's strength.

"Can you her me Kurosaki? It's time to stop! Do it, and you really will no longer be human! Don't, Kurosaki!" Ishida yells.

"Grrr." A savage growl escaped Ichigo's mouth, and in one swift motion he pierces his friend's stomach.

"Ishida-kun!" Inoue's cry attracted his attention.

"I'll ave…" Ichigo growled, but he couldn't form the full sentence. "I will sa…I will save you." He finally chokes. Content that his words reached her, he hears a painful moan.

'Ishida?' He saw his sword sticking out of his gut. Then clarity finally came to him. 'What have I done?' He dreaded. Against his will, his body started to move towards the Quincy. 'No, stop!' A Cero formed between his horns. 'STOP IT!'

"Kurosaki-kun? Kurosaki-kun? KUROSAKI-KUN!?" Inoue yells in terror.

Just before Ichigo killed his friend he felt a presence, and then world returned to darkness

* * *

_Present_

"Well actually I do. I want to see what you are capable of." She replied, oblivious to what happened the last time he was pushed to his limits, and beyond. Though she sensed something strange about his Reiatsu for a brief instant. It seemed…darker, heavier, more predatory.

She hadn't had long to dwell on the thought, because Ichigo took the initiative and lunged at her with a savage vertical slash. Tia blocked it, grunting under the pressure. Her feet dug into the ground, and she felt her knees giving under Ichigo's monstrous strength.

Gathering her Reiatsu she maneuvered the hilt to the side, and kneed him in the gut, sending Ichigo flying. He regained his footing mid-air and saw Halibel rapidly approaching.

"Getsuga Tensho!" A blue wave of energy flew towards the Arrancar.

"Ola Azul!" A yellow wave of energy released from Tia's sword. The attacks collided creating a massive explosion, but both fighters ignored it and clashed inside the eye of storm, sending stray waved of Reiatsu in every direction.

Each time their swords connected a splash of sparks flew from them. Each tried to press the advantage, but neither of them backed even a millimeter.

Ichigo looked into Tia's teal eyes and saw calm mixed with… he really wasn't sure what it was, but it might have been something akin to curiosity.

Ichigo gathered even more Reiatsu, and started pushing harder, but so did Tia.

He glared at her in determination, which she gladly returned.

"Getsuga Tensho." Tia had only a split of second to react, but for a Tercera Espada that was enough. She stopped pressing Ichigo and retreated her blade, while side stepping and allowing Ichigo's attack to harmlessly pass by. This left Ichigo's side open.

She was about to deliver a nasty swipe swung from her neck, but the young Shinigami's reflexes were top notch too. Seeing was she was about to do, he used his free hand and moved it to block Tia's elbow from moving. He swapped his sword, but Tia already gone and he just cut the air.

She jumped up and slashed from above, with Ichigo blocking by raising his sword, which was the exact reaction Tia wanted. Using her momentum she slammed her knees into his face, sending him stumbling back. However she underestimated his pain tolerance. The moment she landed a vicious thrust grazed her shoulder, drawing a bit of blood. Tia jumped back, making some distance, and looking at him in gauging calculation.

'He's still holding back.' She noticed. 'I need to pressure him more.'

She slowly moved her hand to her zipper. What happened next would be engraved in Ichigo's mind forever…and would appear in his dreams for a while.

Tia started to slowly unzip her vest from the bottom up. In an almost seductive manner, slowly letting her breasts free.

'So that's where her number is.' Ichigo thought numbly, as his throat dried up and blood rushed to his face. His eyes were glued to her breasts, as they slowly became more and more visible. Despite never admitting it to any one, he almost groaned when he saw that her Mask Fragment covering her decency.

Finally his prude nature forced him to rip his eyes from her breasts and move them up. He held back a gasp this time. 'That's why she hides her face.'

Tia's lower half of her face was covered by the her bone white Hollow Mask remnants. The mask resembled that of a sharks, with rows of sharp teeth placed along her jaw. The bone structure also covered her throat and neck. And again his sight moved to her barely covered breasts.

"Gah! Cover yourself!" Ichigo slapped his hand over his eyes. The moment those words left his lips he felt cold steel pressing against his throat…and something very soft pressing on his chest.

"Covering your eyes during a battle is not a wise decision." She stated coldly. "If I wanted to harm you I could do it this very moment."

Ichigo took his hand off, and immediately saw how close her face was to his. Her eyes were cold and focused, adding her toothy Hollow Mask, she gave off a predatory vibe. Ichigo gulped, she was completely right. She could have taken his life right then.

"But you didn't?" Ichigo mumbled when she took her blade from his throat, and stepped back.

"No, but you must learn to never trust a stranger. Trust can get you killed." She said, making Ichigo pout a little…then he remembered that she had her jacket un-zipped.

"That doesn't change the fact that you're practically naked!" He exclaimed with a blush. "I shouldn't be seeing that!"

"My mask covers most of myself, I fail to see your point." She crossed her arms under her breasts, pushing them up slightly.

**'Nice one Tia, show him more of the goods!'** Tiburon cheered.

"…" Ichigo looked at her stupefied, not knowing what to say. Also the fact that he was having a hard time keeping his eyes from wandering. He decided to let it go.

"Fine. Looks like Shinkai isn't a match for you, but I pretty much knew that anyway. So I'll even us out." He said standing up and taking his stance, he pointed his sword at her. "Ban-Kai!" He shouted, and was engrossed in a black Reiatsu. Halibel's eyes widened at his massive increase in power. It matched that of the Quarto Espada when he Resurrected.

'He wasn't that powerful when he battled Grimmjow.' Tia mused. 'His growth rate is astounding.'

"Don't lose focus." She heard a whisper coming from behind. She swirled around slashing with her sword, but only cut air. Turning back he saw Ichigo standing in the exact same spot he was when he went Bankai.

Tia narrowed her eyes at this slight jab at her. She didn't like to be mocked, but Ichigo didn't allow her to have time to dwell on it, as he launched himself toward her, raising his sword high. She rose her blade to block, but the sheer force Ichigo put behind the strike sent her flying. Instantly he followed after, but Tia predicted it and sent an Ola Azul at him. With ease he cut through it, before engaged her again.

Tia had a hard time keeping up with him, barely blocking his attacks in time. With every passing moment more and more cuts appeared on her body. They again locked their blades and attempted to overpower the other.

This time Tia decided to give Ichigo a taste of his own medicine.

"Ola Azul!" She fired it point-blank, sending the Shinigami flying back, surrounded by a wave of yellow energy. She also fired a yellow Cero for good measure, but as she predicted, it was countered by a now black Getsuga.

When the dust settled, Ichigo was merely patting off his coat. The damage her Ola Azul did was minimal at best.

Tia furrowed her eyebrows. She couldn't beat him at her current level now.

Just when Ichigo was about to advance on her, she changed the grip on her sword.

"Hunt, Tiburon!" Immediately she was surrounded by water on all sides, and disappeared in it.

For a moment the water around her formed the shape of heart, and Ichigo found it…interesting. The water then stared to spin fast, like a vortex. Ichigo felt a massive Reiatsu building inside it.

Just then a giant sword shot out of the vortex, revealing her full appearance in broad day light. Not to mention the accumulated water caused a small flood, when it fell to the earth.

The water was freezing cold, but that was exactly what he needed right now.

Above him Tia floated, allowing him to witness her Resurreccion.

She wore a pair of white knee-length boots, elbow-length gloves, and a mini-skirt made of bone. Ichigo examined its "construction" very thoroughly, while trying not to die from the blood loss. The remnants of her mask acted as her bra, covering the center parts of her breasts in a strip-like fashion, leaving the sides of her breasts visible. By now Ichigo was badly losing the fight against blood loss. Her arm shells had spike that went along her head, and there were two ribbon-like protrusions, imitating shark fins growing out of her arms.

In her right hand she was holding a giant shark-tooth shaped sword with gills. The hilt of the sword was inside the sword, hiding her whole hand, but Ichigo deduced that it had was horizontal from the way she was holding it. He could spare only a little time analyzing her sword, as he was more focused on the wielder. Her teal eyes were now glowing with power, only then Ichigo noticed two dark blue, thunder like tattoo's on her cheeks.

Tia looked into his eyes, expecting some sort of reaction. She got it.

Ichigo with lighting speed slapped his hand over his eyes.

"This is getting frustrating, Ichigo-san." Tia could help but growl a little.

"That's my line! You're wearing even less clothes than before! What are you an exhibitionist?!" He shouted, but Tia could see small gaps between his fingers.

"What's an exhibitionist?" She asked, narrowing her eyes. Even from where she was standing she could see the fierce blush on his face.

"It's a person who…." He gulped. "Like when other people see them naked. It's a sort of perversion."

"Are you calling me a pervert?" Tia asked with a dangerously calm tone.

"In a sense…" Ichigo replied without really thinking it through. "SHIT!" He shouted, barely dodging an attack that looked like a tsunami wave. Before he could land, Halibel appeared behind him "La Gota." She said before she shot a shark tooth-like bullet of water at him. Ichigo got hit, and was slammed hard into the ground.

Recovering from her hit quickly, Ichigo released a Getsuga towards Halibel. Before the massive wave of Reiatsu hit her she dodged, forming a yellow Cero. Much to Ichigo's surprise she didn't fire it immediately, but forced it into her sword. The sword started gained a yellow glow.

'Not good.' He thought, then she started to advance towards him. He concentrated his Reiatsu into his blade, prepping a massive Getsuga, and lunged at the approaching woman.

The moment their swords clashed a titanic explosion ripped through the area. Not even a second later Ichigo flew out of the smoke, crashing into the nearest rock formation. He felt blood seeping from numerous wounds, not to mention a nasty pain in his back.

'Damn she's touchy.' Ichigo looked up, only to instantly lower his head. Tia was hovering above him giving him quite the good look under her skirt.

"It looks like it's not only your Hollow abilities that need honing." Tia stated coldly. "One should never address a lady in such a manner." She chastised him.

"Show me a lady and I'll see to it." Ichigo mumbled angrily. She was starting to get on his nerves. She was the one running around practically naked, not him.

"What was that?" Tia asked, pointing her sword at him.

"That was me growing serious." Ichigo snapped, and in one swift motion he swiped his Hollow Mask into existence.

Instantly his Reiatsu grew darker and heavier, almost suffocating in its nature. Again his golden eyes drew her total and complete attention. They seemed to call her to come closer, almost hypnotizing her. But she could also see the darkness behind his gaze, the strain this power put on its wielder.

'This can't be normal, the others hadn't had this kind of look.' Tia realized.

**"Ready to continue?"** Ichigo's Hollowfied voice reached Tia's ears. 'Why's this mask is still so heavy?' He wondered for a moment.

Tia felt something was off. Gone was the young, slightly irritating boy. Now before her stood a seasoned warrior, projecting an air of power all around him, with eyes of steel.

With those two orbs that seemed to swallow her entirely.

"Yes…I am." She replied when she woke from her trance. The moment those words left her mouth, Ichigo disappeared from sight. Only her instinct and top-notch reflexes allowed her to block the ultra-fast slash coming her way. Yet the force behind the attack was so great, that it batted her away the moment two swords connected.

Halibel had problems with regaining her footing, because the air pressure was so thick. The second she regained her balance she had to block yet another deadly thrust. Luckily her blade was perfect for it, since it could act as a shield.

'I need to take the initiative!' She blocked Ichigo's blade, forcing him to lock it with hers. She used her free hand and to form a Cero in her palm. Seeing this Ichigo jumped back. Tia fired the Cero, but she was aware that with his speed it was going to miss. The question was how was Ichigo going to avoid it.

Not in her wildest dreams did she expect him to take it head on.

"Getsuga Tensho" A wave of darkness collided with her yellow Cero, creating a vortex of black and yellow and obscuring Tia's view. Years in Hueco Mundo taught her one thing, always watch your back.

"Trident!" A deadly, high-force slash shot towards Ichigo, who chose to come onto his opponent from behind. His eyes widened in surprise. He rose his sword to deflect it, but the power was too great for him to handle. He was tossed from the sky and crashed into the ground. The impact created a large crater, and shot tons of dust into the air at the same time. "La Gota." Tia released another water bullet in Ichigo's general direction. She wasn't about to fall into a false sense of security after one solid hit. Besides she needed more water to perform her Cascada.

Ichigo launched out of the crater towards Tia, easily avoiding her water bullets.

'She can't even hope to hit me with an attack of this level… and she doesn't seem to be a type to randomly fire. She's up to something.'

He slashed another Getsuga at her, which she nimbly avoided while still shooting at him. He noticed that she was keeping her distance, visibly biding her time.

'Just what the hell is she-'

Ichigo got his answer.

"Cascada!" She shouted, and released a wave of high pressure water, aiming devour Ichigo. Startled, he failed to avoid the torrent. Not being able to withstand the force, he was forcibly planted into the ground again but this time soaked.

Growling, he lifted himself up and decided to try the fruits of his Kido Training. He jumped into the air and closed the distance in the blink of an eye. He noticed that she was slightly slower than him, so he would use that to his advantage.

"Bakudō #4. Hainawa!" A rope of yellow energy shot from his hand, wrapping itself around her ankle. Obviously not expecting Kido, Tia fell for his trick. Tugging the rope Ichigo dragged her to him.

For a second their faces were inches apart. Their eyes met again, and in that very instant they realized that they felt exact same thing.

Excitement.

Tia had to admit that it was her first time feeling like this in battle. She usually fought out of necessity, and such mock fights like this one were absurd in her opinion. Maybe it was because of the absurdity of said fight she could feel like this.

She blocked his slash to her side, still keeping eye contact with him. Using the momentum she pushed herself off of him and made some distance. While backtracking she sliced the rope holding her.

But not even second later they clashed again, creating massive tremors each time their Reiatsu filled swords made contact. Slowly they began to descent to the ground, still not breaking the eye contact.

Now the desire to dominate the other was clearly visible in their eyes.

Ichigo slashed from above his head, intending to cripple her arm, but Tia would have none of it. With a powerful swing she knocked his sword to the side, and went for a stab to his unprotected chest. Ichigo side stepped, avoiding the hit, and elbowed Tia's unprotected side. She grunted but ignored the pain and spun around, whacking Ichigo's back with the flat side of her sword. Ichigo stumbled a few steps forward. He spun around only to kneel, so Tia wouldn't take his head off. He slashed at her legs, but she jumped avoiding the hit. What she wasn't expecting was Ichigo grabbing her ankle and throwing her away from him. Tia did a gracious back flip and elegantly landed on her feet.

They stared at each other panting. Both of them were covered in sweat, grime, and blood from their numerous small cuts.

'She's so strong.' Ichigo thought, watching his opponent. 'I wonder how Aizen managed to keep her on a leash?' His traitorous mind showed the picture of her in a collar and the leash that was holding her….'Ok let's not go there.' He blushed under the mask. Ichigo felt that it was the high time to end the spar. They'd been at it a while and their meeting with his friends was soon. He was about to disintegrate his mask, when suddenly his Hollow spoke

**'I can't believe you're getting so worked up about that bitch. Ya should disciplined her more.'** Hichigo said with a lecherous tone.

'She's not a bitch, you bastard!' Ichigo shouted in outrage, but his Hollow ignored him.

**'I believe I can tame her for us.'** The young Shinigami could almost feel the psychotic smile creeping on his Hollow's face. **'I'm gonna enjoy playing with her so very much HAHAHAHA.'**

Before Ichigo could open his mouth, his mask suddenly grew around to the back of his head. Two mighty horns grew out of it, and now his mask looked more like horned helmet.

Tia saw the transformation and braced herself, yet the feeling of wrongness that she had at the beginning of their fight came back, crashing over her tenfold. His Reiatsu became so erratic and dark that she had hard time sensing Ichigo. Instead she started to feel something viler, more primal.

"Ichigo-san are you ok?" She asked, seeing that her question attract his attention. When their eyes meet she gasped.

His golden eyes were filled with so much frustration and agony that she almost broke the eye contact.

"Are you alright Ichigo-san?" She repeated with more worry in her voice that she expected.

**"R…Run.**" He choked. **"I…I…"** He dropped his sword and grabbed at his face, letting out a painful moan. He fell to his knees, and froze with his head down, still holding his face.

"Ichigo-san?" Tia said warily. "What is going on?" Yet her question remained unanswered.

**'Be careful Tia, something is very wrong here.**' Tiburon warned unusually serious.** 'His Reiatsu is barely recognizable.'**

'I know.' She started to slowly approach the kneeling Shinigami. She called his name few more times but it didn't work.

She pointed her sword at his head, and slowly used her free hand to reach for him. She expected anything at this point, but not for Ichigo to suddenly burst into maniacal laughter. Startled she jumped back and braced herself.

**"Chill sweetheart. I just want to talk…for now."** Ichigo's voice was now even more eerily than before. It was deadly, cold and empty, nothing like previous one.

"I would appreciate if you refrained from calling me that. What is the meaning of this, Ichigo-san?" Tia replied furrowing her eyebrows. 'What is going on here?'

"Would you prefer sweet-cheeks, or simply whore?" Hichigo tiled his head to the side. Tia's mouth hung open at the blatant insult. **"Oh and one more thing…Ichigo's ain't home right now. Hahahaha!"**

He grabbed his sword and lunged at her suddenly, laughing insanely.

Despite thinking she was prepared, she had never expected something like this. Tia felt like she was actually fighting a Hollow itself, not a Shinigami with Hollow powers. Neither of the Visored had such evil Reiatsu. Tia tried to block his slash, but when the swords connected she was sent flying backwards. Before she could do anything Ichigo appeared in front of her.

He had grabbed her by the throat, and threw her violently to the ground. When Tia hit the ground, she knew she had to move right away. She rolled from to the side, only to see sword piercing the spot where her head was laying a second ago.

'What the hell happened to him?' She thought. Halibel noticed that after he had grown horns, his fighting style changed. It became more…savage, not to mention that he easily overpowered her now. She snapped out of her mind when she saw that he started to advance on her. "La Gota!" She shouted, and sent a quick water attack in his direction. Almost lazily he dodged it. It didn't even slow him down.

For the first time in a while she started to feel fear. When she looked at Ichigo advancing on her, she felt like darkness itself was coming at her. She tried to slow him down with a powerful Cero, but she hadn't expected for him to lean forward and charge one on his own.

They both shot at the same time. However Ichigo's Cero was stronger, and devoured the one shot by Halibel.

For a moment the world turned red. She crashed hard, losing her sword in progress, and her Hierro was damaged horribly, as she was bleeding all over.

Suddenly she felt a pressure on her waist. When Tia opened her eyes she saw Ichigo sitting on top of her. She tried to punch, but he caught both of her hands and pinned her to the ground. She was now at his mercy, but from the look he was giving her, she knew that she would receive none. They just stared at each other….

"Who are you?" Tia finally asked keeping her voice even, but her stomach was tied in a tight knot. Where previously his eyes held a certain allure to them, now there were nothing more than cold and predatory.

**"I'll let ya in on a secret, my lil Arrancar."** Hichigo leaned close to her face. Now Tia's head was between his horns. She could feel his cold breath on her. **"I ain't got a name yet.**" He took in her scent, letting a satisfactory rumble escape his throat.

Tia's eyes widened. She started to struggle, but he had her firmly pinned down.

**'Think of something Tia! He's going to kill us!'** Tiburon exclaimed.

'I'm trying!' Tia snapped back, but panic was quickly setting in as he leaned his face even closer. His mouth spread open revealing razor sharp teeth. 'Damn..' She closed her eyes, waiting for the inevitable. However instead of pain she felt a wetness on her cheek.

Her eyes snapped open and in horror she realized what he was doing.

He licked her.

"S-Stop it!" She snapped, but a stutter found its way into her voice.

**"I'm just getting started."** He rumbled.** "I could kill you, but it would be such a waste. I have other uses for you right now."**

The tone it was said in made Tia's blood freeze. Suddenly the perspective of being killed wasn't nearly as bad.

"Ichigo-san, stop this madness." Tia desperately called.

**"I told ya he's not home. It's just you and me."** He leered. He pulled her hands above her head, and grabbed both with one hand, freeing the other. Moving it to her face he caressed her cheek. Tia flinched at his touch, feeling some sort of unexplained dread over taking her. It wasn't normal. She was not a coward, she knew that, but this feeling was spreading, paralyzing her.

His hands moved from her face to her right breast, grabbing it roughly, and eliciting a flinch of pain from her. Her breath hitched and her eyes watered.

By now the feeling of terror had clouded her judgment. She couldn't explain it, but she had a feeling of horrible déjà vu. Yet she couldn't recall ever being in such a situation before.

To her horror Ichigo, or the creature that controlled him, let go of her breast and moved his hand south, slowly almost in mocking manner.

For a second Ichigo's horned mask overlapped with an image of another man. Tia could only see dark hair and brown skin. She never felt a fear so deep seeded before, but that image chilled her to the very bone.

At that moment all her barriers shattered. She did something she never had before.

She begged.

"Please stop, Ichigo." She choked her voice breaking, with tears falling down her face. "Don't hurt me…please." She added in small voice, shutting her eyes tight.

The hand stopped right above her bellybutton, as if frozen. Tia felt a pulse of Reiatsu come from Ichigo. She dared to open her eyes, and saw a literal battle within his eyes, warm gold fighting the darkened cold.

From second one of his Hollow's take over, he'd been trying to regain control of his body.

It was Tia's desperate plea that finally snapped something inside him. Triggering every instincts he had to protect her at all costs.

'Back off you bastard!' Ichigo roared from within, amassing as much willpower as he could. 'You won't hurt her!'

**'Hurt? I'm just having fun with her. You might even thank me later, cause you're about to get your first fuck.'** Hichigo laughed cruely.

'Shut up! How the hell can you even think like that!? Just look at her you bastard, she's terrified!' Ichigo roared furiously.

**'So? The strong prey on the weak, that the only truth of this or any world.'** He replied with a shrug.

'I will protect her, and you can't stop me!' Ichigo spat, sending a massive wave of his Reitsu at his Hollow. Hichigo grunted, displeased by this action. He still lacked the strength to overpower Ichigo at this point. The damn Hollow Mask locked away most of his power, but if he managed to make some permanent adjustments to it…

Tia could sense the notable shift in Ichigo's aura. It was becoming gradually warmer, more like it used to be. Even the oppressive atmosphere was lifting, soothing her fear some.

She flinched when Ichigo suddenly pulled up off of her and stepped back. His hands moved to his mask grabbing the at anything he could. Finally he gripped both horns and desperately tried to break them off.

She watched with her mouth slightly open, as he finally snapped both horns off. With a warbled roar of defiance he punched his mask till it cracked. When finally large chunk fell of he grabbed the exposed hole. In one savage move he ripped off most of the mask, shouting in pain when he did.

He fell to his knees, and threw the remaining masked part of his face against the rocky ground. Sickening cracking sounds came from the action.

For few minutes Tia simply stared, awaiting his reaction, but it was growing clearer with every minute that he might be unconscious.

**'It might be another trick.'** Tiburon warned.

'He had me at his mercy. I don't think that what happened was his doing…' Tia replied getting up and grabbing her sword. She cautiously approached Ichigo's prone form. 'Something took control of him.'

**'So he's a psycho? Great you really have a knack for picking men Ti-chan… While we're on that, who the hell was that guy we saw?'**

The very mention of that memory caused a shiver to go down her spine.

'I don't know…but it was…disturbing.' She struggled to find a correct word for the feeling.

When she stood next to Ichigo she pressed a blunt side of her sword against his side, not wanting to injure him. Not getting a response, she gathered her courage and knelt next to him. Carefully she flipped him on his back. As predicted he was out of cold. The mask he wore had dissolved into nothing, but he had bleeding punctures on his face where shards of it had embedded before vanishing. Not to mention a nasty black eye.

Standing back up Tia summoned a small ball of water above his face, then dropped it on his face.

Ichigo awoke with a gasp.

He frantically looked around in disorientation, but when his eyes landed on Tia he calmed down. She could literally read the relief on his face.

"Thank Kami you're ok." She heard him whisper, as he ran his hand over his bloodied face. "I'm so sorry." He mumbled in apology, a pained look on his face which wasn't from his injuries.

He couldn't even imagine how relieved Tia was to hear that. Because of her previous experience she was afraid that he played her. While reason why he did it in such manner eluded her, the thoughts were present. If not for the drastic change in his Reiatsu and the personality, she would try to strike him down for his apparent betrayal.

"Can you explain who or rather what that was?" She asked after a few seconds, letting him get his bearings. Her voice still slightly shaken.

"I told you about him… that was my Inner Hollow." Ichigo said as he sat up. "I thought I had him under control... guess I was wrong." Guilt took over as his prominent feature. "I'm sorry that I scared you… that I made you cry. If you don't want to stay by me anymore, I understand. We'll find you somewhere else safe to stay." He stated avoiding eye contact, shame coating his words.

His declaration surprised Tia. She couldn't ever remember meeting such a person.

"Tell me more about this Hollow of yours?" Tia finally asked.

Ichigo explained everything he knew about Hichigo. From their first meeting, to the forming of the mask which was supposed to keep him at bay. The only part he omitted was that once he completely turned Hollow and killed Ulquiorra.

"That's all I know… That's the reason I hoped you could teach me how to control these damned powers." Ichigo sighed.

'Such a heavy burden for someone so young.' Tia looked at him with a new found respect. "You should have told me this sooner, Ichigo-san."

"I'm sorry… I guess I was afraid that you wouldn't want have anything to do with me if I told you." He rubbed his neck.

"Fear is only natural, Ichigo-san. It is a part of our instinct to survive, a motivator to improve ourselves." She told him sagely. Suddenly a question popped into her head. "Are you afraid of your powers?"

"I... Yeah I am…" Ichigo admitted uncomfortably. "I'm afraid of losing control and hurting the people I care about in the process… you included… It's not like I even wanted this damn power to begin with." He sighed, not really knowing why he was spilling his guts to her.

"Then why did you seek more power?" She asked puzzled.

"Because I was even more afraid of losing them because of not having the power to protect and save them." He stated in conviction.

To his surprise he felt a hand on his shoulder. Looking up he was staring her eyes. Instead of what he thought he'd see, he saw understanding and sympathy in them.

She couldn't even find the words to describe how well she understood him. The fear of losing the ones closest to you, the fear of being powerless, the fear of being alone…

"I'll aid you Ichigo-san. I'll help work on your control of your Hollow powers, to the very best of my ability." She stated firmly, determination in her teal eyes.

Ichigo's mouth hung open at her sudden declaration, and his voice got stuck in his throat.

"Thank you Tia. It really means a lot to me." He smiled warmly.

"Think nothing of it Ichigo." She replied with an unusually light tone, so much that she actually forgot to add the suffix. Ichigo caught this and his smile grew. The basked in the understanding for a while. Not saying anything as Tia helped him to his feet.

Then the spell was broken when Urahara's voice called out to them that Ichigo's body's watch was going off.

"Shit! We're going to be late!" Ichigo exclaimed. "We need to get going."

* * *

_City Center_

"You think they ditched us?" Keigo asked after half an hour of waiting.

"Nah. I'm sure Kurosaki-kun and Halibel-san are on their way." Inoue reassured, but her own voice was laced with worry. "Any minute now."

"Remember guys, be friendly to her for Ichigo's sake." Chado reminded them. "You too, Ishida."

"Hmph." The Quincy grunted.

"Hey guys! Sorry for the wait!" Ichigo's voice called out from behind them.

Tatsuki, Keigo, and Mizuiro's jaws hit the floor when they saw Tia. Chizuru, on the other hand, started to shamelessly drool and ogle the Arrancar. All of them had the exact same thought though.

'Damn she's hot.'

"Guys this is Tia Halibel. Tia this is Tatsuki Arisawa, Chizuru Honsho, Mizuiro Kojima and Keigo Asano."

Before anyone managed to say anything, Chizuru shot forward with a speed that no human being should possess, and started fawning over Tia.

"Ahhh, that mocha flawless skin, perfect full lips, cute nose, amazing killer figure, and Kami almighty! Those boobs… I'm so in love!" Chizuru wrapped her arms around herself, starting to sway in a snake-like motion, panting like a dog. Her a perverted glint in her eyes she started to advance on Tia, her hands making grabbing motions.

Tia was so stunned by the other female's shameless advance, she almost allowed herself to be grabbed by her.

A centimeter before contact Chizuru found her wrists being grabbed and pulled away. Tia's vice grip easily making the younger girl flinch. When she looked up from Tia's assets, she met a sight that halted any protest. Halibel's eyes were dangerously focused, taking on a stare that could freeze fire solid.

"I would appreciate you restraining yourself." Tia stated simply. Bone chilling ice filling her words, and it immediately paralyzed the lesbian. A shiver ran through the rest of the group, even the stoic Quincy. It was a simple primal fear she instilled in them.

"G-Got it!" Chizuru choked out, backing off when her wrists were freed. Yet one could see the tiny hint of a smile on her face when she turned. "Mistress" She mumbled inaudibly, some sort of insane glee in her eyes.

Ichigo face palmed so hard it hurt. 'How the hell'd he get away alive?' Ichigo thought, shocked that his Hollow got as far as it did.

"Um...right, can someone else please introduce themselves?" Ichigo begged.

"It's a pleasure." Tatsuki stepped with straight face, and offered her hand, which Tia cautiously took.

"Nice to meet you." Keigo did the same, albeit it was obvious that he was incredibly nervous now.

"Heya. So you're not going to eat us while we're not looking, are you?" Mizuiro asked, shaking her hand with easy going smile on his face.

"I have no malicious intent towards any of you." Tia replied, slightly taken off guard by his upfront question.

"That's great. I think we'll be good friends." He stated, letting go of her hand. "So how about we go to the arcade to break the ice?"

The group generally agreed to the idea, leaving Tia the only one out of the loop.

'Arcade? What is that?.' She questioned mentally.

**'Aww, are you embarrassed by your severe lack of knowledge?'** Tiburon mocked.

'Then tell me oh wise one, what an arcade is?' Tia said, heavy on the sarcasm. Tiburon didn't grace her with an answer.

Sighing she decided to ask.

"What's an arcade?" As predicted the others turned to her in shock.

"You don't know what it is?" Tatsuki asked in disbelief. "How old are you, one hundred?"

"That is almost accurate." She replied, ignoring the jab at her age. "Now that that is out of the way, what is this Arcade?" She asked exasperated. The idea of befriending Ichigo's friends was growing less appealing to her.

"Give give her a break guys, everything is pretty much new to her." Ichigo said conciliating. "Stuff that's normal to us wont necessarily be to her. The arcade is a place in the entertainment district where you can play various games and hang with your friends."

"Like chess?" She was desperate for some familiar ground, but Ichigo's apologetic expression killed it.

"No…errr more…action-y things? You know what, it's easier to show you than explain it." He grinned and motioned her to follow.

After fifteen minutes of semi-comfortable conversation, they arrived at the light filled entertained district. The place was wall to wall with colorful neon, advertisements, and most of all people. A lot of people.

They made their way through the crowd to their destination, a large gaming parlor filled with various machines.

Ichigo noticed with pleasure that Tia took a keen interest in the place.

"Here were are Tia, the arcade. It has almost every possible game you can dream of." Ichigo said.

"So what's first?" Inoue asked.

"I vote the zombie shooting games?" Keigo proposed, waving his hand in the air. "They have the newest House of the Dead!"

"I'm in." Tatsuki agreed.

"Well I'm down for some good old Mortal Kombat." Mizuiro said.

"Me too." Chado replied.

"How about a racer, Hime-chan?" Chizuru chirped, wrapping her arms around her, and literally dragging her away.

"Any preferences?" Ichigo asked his to those reaming.

"I'm not really into this kind of stuff." Ishida shrugged, while Tia just looked blankly at Ichigo. "Ok then. Maybe…." He looked around and spotted a newly vacated dancing game. "How about a little dance off?"

"Please. I've taken lessons in multiple actual dances. You'd be digging your own grave, Kurosaki." The Quincy snorted, but never the less moved towards the game. The machine supported two players.

Ichigo looked to Tia, and was about to offer her his place, but the she was quicker on the uptake.

"I'd prefer to see how this device works first." She stated, folding her arms under her breasts. Ichigo nodded and stepped on the pad.

"It's very easy, you see these four arrows on the floor? You have to step in time to the one the screen shows you to get points. Ishida let's start on something easy to show her." Ichigo proposed.

"Fine." The dark haired boy said, choosing the lowest level of difficulty.

The game started and the music slowly got louder.

They boys grabbed the railing behind them for the balance, and started stepping on the arrows along with the rhythm.

At that level both of them easily managed to score one hundred percent.

"That was easy. Time to step it up." Ichigo said setting the level to high.

And indeed the difficulty was visible. The speed they both stepped the arrows changed greatly, making it look ridiculous at some points, as their legs flew towards the designated arrows.

She watched as the screech change colors and images with the music, intensify.

With a final blast of light the song finished.

A perfect score for Ishida, and ninety four for Ichigo.

"Easy win." Quincy commented with a superior smirk, before stepping off the machine. "I'll be going now Kurosaki. I have few things to get ready for tomorrow." He bid him farewell, completely ignoring Tia.

'That was rude.' She furrowed her brows.

"Don't mind him. He just needs time to warm up to you… a lot of time." Ichigo shook his head, after sending a disapproving glare after Ishida. "Wanna give it a try?"

Tia hesitated. She'd never done anything like this in the past. Despite everything, she was a bit shy to try.

"C'mon, it's fun once you get the hang of it." Ichigo spoke up noticing her reservation. His sympathetic smile just barely swayed her, and she nodded before stepping on the pad.

Ichigo put the setting on normal, and started the game. Tia mimicked him and put her hands on the railing, as she began stepping on the arrows.

For her first time she was fairing quite well. Her eye leg coordination was already honed to near perfection, and the game became that much easier with that knowledge. Still it hadn't prevented her from miss-stepping at some odd timed steps.

Obviously Ichigo won, a perfect score on his side. To his surprise Tia asked for another game. Happy that she was having some fun, or at least wanted to continue, he started another round.

This time he paid more attention to her. He had to admit that the face she made when she was concentrating was cute. Not to mention the position she was in drew his attention. Her shapely hips were pushed forward, showing how toned and flat her belly was. Not to mention that every time she made a step her breasts bounced up and down. Ichigo face heated up, but he convinced himself it was because of the movements he was put through.

He returned his attention to the screen and noticed that he was starting to lose. Focusing on the game he caught to caught to her, and what resulted was a draw.

"Wanna try another game?" Ichigo asked, as he started to get winded.

"Very well." She replied, but he could hear the slight disappointment in her voice.

"Don't worry we'll can come play it again before we leave. I just wanted to see if you'll like any of the other games."

For the next hour Ichigo and Tia wandered from game to game, playing any that caught the Hollow's interest or Ichigo suggested she might like. Several times they ended up joining his friends. Despite the awkwardness at first, Tia started to feel semi-comfortable around the humans, with exception of when she had to explain to the store operator how she broke the arm wrestling machine. Luckily Ichigo managed to push the responsibility on some sort of machine defect. Because it was totally impossible for the female high school student to break it...

After a few more games, including one more dance off between Ichigo and Tia, which ended in the former's victory. It was only a two percent difference, but it was also on the highest difficulty. They decided to call it a day.

The group exchanged farewells and all headed home.

* * *

_Same Day, Urahara's Shop_

The shop owner was working on some undoubtedly awesome project via computer, when suddenly a pair of slender brown arms wrapped around his neck. A head followed after, resting on his shoulder.

"Ara, it's good to see you again, Yoruichi." Urahara commented with a goofy smile.

"Well Kisuke you said it was urgent, so I mustered up a bit of time. What's the problem?" The violet haired Flash Goddess purred.

"I think it would be best for you to see." Kisuke replied, and opened a new screen.

He clicked few times and a video, in extremely high quality, started to play.

"Ohhh? And what Ichi-bo and his new guest doing there?" She asked with a sudden keen interest. She planned to pay her favorite student a visit anyways. The prospect of a supposedly hot woman together in one room with him, just sped the things up.

She watched the fight in curiosity, seeing just how much he'd improved.

"Now that's my star pupil." She grinned, when Ichigo started to put pressure on Tia. That was until the moment she started to unzip her jacket. Yoruichi narrowed her eyes, displeased that the woman behaved like that in front of her pupil. Only she had that privilege. "That's some quality teasing." She stated, trying to sound carefree but failed. This drew an amused stare from her companion.

Yoruichi pretended that nothing happened, and continued to watch the movie. She grew even more displeased when she saw Tai's Resurreccion. 'This is getting ridiculous!' She thought.

However all the irksome feelings evaporated the moment Ichigo's donned his mask. She quickly noticed the changes happen in Kurosaki. When his horns grew she stared in disbelief as he easily obliterated his opponent. Her disbelief changed to horror when she witnessed his actions towards Arrancar after moments later. Not to mention the look of utter dread on Tia's face.

At that point Yoruichi felt pity for the poor woman. She didn't even realized that she was holding her breath when Ichigo's hand started to grope her and then move towards Tia's womanhood.

'Stop it, Ichi-bo.' A hand traveled to her mouth, covering her shocked expression.

The video was muted, but Yoruichi could read Tia's lips. Relief flooded her when his hand stopped. Even more when he started to fight back and tear at his mask.

Yoruichi knew that Ichigo would never forgive himself if he did something like that. She was well aware that it wasn't him at that moment. There was no way that her student would do something so vile.

Not Ichigo, ever.

The recording ended with Tia putting her hand on his shoulder.

"What the hell was that?" Yoruichi finally asked.

"I believe that this was his Hollow taking over. His Reiatsu readings were similar to those recorded while he was achieving his mask." Urahara said in grim seriousness. "But I'll need his input to prove it, and that's where you come in. I would like you to go talk to him." He said. "He'll need his sensei." He put pressure on the last word, making Yoruichi narrow her golden cat-like eyes.

"What are you trying to say, Kisuke-kun?" She asked in a dangerously sweet tone.

"Nothing, nothing at all." Urahra waved his fan. "I'm just saying that young Ichigo will need a shoulder to cry on."

"He can get that, and more if he wished." She grinned. "He seems like a person who appreciates what he has."

"Touché." Urahara smirked. "Well you better go show him what he has then."

"Aye, aye." She mock saluted him, and disappeared in flash of Shunpo.

* * *

_Kurosaki's Home_

"Ichi-nii!" Yuzu, his youngest Sister, tackled her older Brother into a tight hug. She was followed by Karin, who smiled and nodded him welcome.

"Yuzu, Karin, long time no see." He smiled widely, ruffing Yuzu's hair. "How was your trip?"

"It was good nii-san, we-" Karin paused when she noticed Tia behind Ichigo, her eyes narrowing scandalously. "Who's that?"

"Aww, why didn't you tell us that got a girlfriend!?" Yuzu exclaimed. "Hi. I'm Yuzu Kurosaki, please take care of my big Brother." She said with a sweet smile and bowing to Tia.

"I'm afraid you're mistaken little one." Tia said gently, shocking Ichigo the warm smile that crept on her usually impassive face. "I'm simply a transfer student from America. My name is Tia Halibel."

"Aww, but you're so pretty!" Yuzu whined.

"Yuzu!" Ichigo exclaimed blushing. "Stop that!"

"He's right, don't go embarrassing him in front of a girl." Karin said, folding her arms. "Name's Karin, nice to meet you."

"Likewise." Tia nodded to the eldest daughter.

"Oh! I'll have supper ready in half an hour." Yuzu announced happily.

Tia and Ichigo made their way up to his room, to drop off their stuff.

"Kinda looked like you had a soft spot for my Sister." Ichigo offhandedly mention with a sly smile.

"I do not know what you're talking about." Tia replied impassively. "I was simply being polite."

"Really? You just smiled at Yuzu. I never seen you smile." Ichigo caught her off guard with that comment. She hadn't even realized that she smiled. Tia had difficulty explaining to herself why exactly Ichigo's younger sibling made her smile. She just felt a certain warmth in her chest when she met them.

"It's not like that's a bad thing, mind you. It's just shows that you do have a heart."

Tia started to feel little uncomfortable about that remark.

"May we please change the subject?" She asked, but it sounded more like demand.

"Sure." He walked to the shelf and pulled out a few books. "These are the books you'll need to read if you want to stay afloat in school. We're in our second year now, so we'll need to catch you up." He handed a book to her.

"I see." She looked up at the shelf filled with books. 'This will take some time.'

"Also I'll show you how to use a computer. That way if you want anything else, you'll be able to look it up." He pressed the on switch, and for the remaining time till lunch, explained how the machine worked, including the usage of the internet. After they ate, during which they both got the third degree from his sister's, he continued to go over things, until his mobile beeped with a text.

When the screen lit up he saw that the message was from Yoruichi. She was asking to meet with him nearby his house, saying it was urgent.

Ichigo excused himself, and had Tia work on her own until he returned.

Walking out of the house, he moved to the spot she mention but didn't see anyone. Just when he was about to text her a pair of slender arms wrapped around the front of his neck.

"Good evening, Ichi-bo." Yoruichi said huskily, blowing warm air into his ear, startling the poor boy.

"Gyah! Don't do that Yoruichi! You almost gave me heart attack!" He exclaimed with a huff.

"Sorry, couldn't stop myself. So how've you been?" She asked casually, leaning on a nearby wall.

"I don't suppose you Hat's n Clogs has kept his mouth shut?" She shook her head with a cheeky grin. "So you know about my guest and my recent promotion?" He made air quotes.

"Yup, got wind of that… but I wanted to chat about a more... recent occurrence." She said seriously. She felt a bit guilty when his expression fell.

"I see. Should've know that the old man had cameras everywhere." He sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"Ichigo is everything alright?" Yoruichi asked with concern, putting her hand on his shoulder. "You know you can tell me anything."

"I know, I trust you Yoruichi." He gave her a weak smile. What he didn't know was just how much that admittance of trust flattered her. "You know at one point I thought that defeating Aizen would end most my problems? Looking back I can see just how naïve that was."

"Come on, don't be so hard on yourself." Yoruichi patted his back.

"But now problems are popping up one after another…" He sighed. "But cutting to the chase, I'm starting to lose control of my Hollow again." He gritted his teeth. "He was able to hijack my body again, and did things…." Now shame was clearly written all over his face.

"But how is it possible? Shouldn't your mask prevent it?" Yoruichi asked concerned, giving him a reassuring squeeze. She saw hesitation mixed with anxiety on his face. "Ichigo c'mon, speak to me."

"Yoruichi… I don't know how to say it… I'm still having trouble wrapping my own head around it." He rubbed his neck. "I don't even know where to start."

"Maybe from the beginning." Yoruichi suggested.

"That's as good a place as any, I guess? Back in Hueco Mundo when I was fighting an Arrancar called Ulquiorra, he... he blew a hole in my chest-" Ichigo started.

"He what?!" Yoruichi exclaimed.

"He shot a Cero threw my chest, pretty much killing me... but then something happened… I…" He hesitated, avoiding looking at her.

"Ichigo no matter what you say I won't think of you any differently." Yoruichi reassured him again. She was starting to seriously worry about him. Maybe she should keep an eye on him for a while.

"Thanks... I'm not sure how, but I changed into a full Hollow… an immensely powerful one. I tore Cifer apart, literally, and the he was powerful. But I beat him like it was nothing… I also lost my sanity, and I almost killed Ishida in process. If not for Ulquiorra pulling a sneak attack, I would've killed my friend." He shook his head. "Ever since then, when I put my mask on, it feels heavy, almost suffocating. It was almost as intense as before my training with the Visoreds." He sighed. "Today he took over again."

"Is there a possibility he might do it again?" Yoruichi asked worried.

"Probably, but I think it's limited to the times I have my mask on. So I'll need to really focus on training to suppress him." Ichigo folded his arms.

"Maybe I can help with that." She smirked. "Your hand to hand still needs some work, and I can teach you a thing or two about Kido."

"Thanks, but my schedule is full. I doubt that I'll find any more time to train with you, between School, being a captain, and training with Tessai and Tia."

Yoruichi pouted.

"So you want her to be your teacher instead of me?" Yoruichi glared at him, narrowing her eyes dangerously.

"It's not like that." Ichigo brought his hands up defensively.

"Of course, and the fact that she flashed her boobs and wears next to nothing, doesn't have anything to do with it?" She expected him to flip out and start denying it, but instead he blushed looking abashed.

Her jaw dropped and a vein popped on her forehead. "Oh you just didn't…." She growled, advancing on him.

"I don't know what you're talking about?" Ichigo took few steps back, until his back hit the wall. Yoruichi pressed herself against him, their faces millimeters apart.

Her golden cat-like eyes were now staring deeply into his.

"Remember this and remember this well Ichi-bo. I am your first and greatest sensei." She put a finger on his lips, silencing any protests. "You're my prized pupil, and when I offer you training you will accept it with a big smile and whole load of gratitude. Got it?" All he could do was nod dumbly. "Forget that and we'll have a different kind of training." She purred last word in such a way, that it sent a not unpleasant shiver down his spine.

Her finger moved down from his lips to his chin, gently pushing it to the side.

"Take care Ichi-bo." She winked, and disappeared in flash of Shunpo.

After a minute Ichigo let out the breath he was holding.

"What the hell was that?" He shook his head trying to get rid of the sensation of her body pressing against his. "Crazy cat lady." He mumbled, embarrassed all of sudden, before walking back home.

He went to his room to check on Tia's progress. The moment he opened the doors he instantly regretted leaving her to her own devices, because the first sound he heard was….

"JA! Schnelle Heinrich! Schnelle! Das ist Gut! Ahhhhh!" Coming from his computer. Tia cheeks were blazing red, and her hands covered her mouth.

"Tia what the hell!" Ichigo exclaimed, startling the Arrancar woman who just stared at him in shock. "Why the hell are you watching porn!?"

"I was looking for some information on the human body…" She somehow managed to keep her voice steady. "Somehow I ended up here with… these vile records all over."

"Ich komme! AHHHHHHH!"

Now both of them turned beet red. Ichigo quickly turned the site off, trying to look anywhere but at Tia.

"Why are there such things on this Internet? Shouldn't intercourse between a woman and men be a private matter?" Tia asked, unable to fight her curiosity or darker blush from it.

"Well you see…" Ichigo made a valiant effort to explain how the porn industry came to be, and how it transitioned to internet. After his best haphazard explanation Tia asked the question that would forever be engraved in his memory.

"How do you know so much about this?" She narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

Ichigo fell into the infamous thousand yard stare.

* * *

A/N

And cut! Well it took some time but I hope you liked the read.

Also spoiler alert!

ISHIDA you bastard!

Anyways don't forget to leave a **review!**


	5. Of Students and Teachers

Chapter 5

So it has finally come, the very first day of the new semester; a beginning for one especially. The morning before the opening ceremonies was busy for every tenant of the Kurosaki house, with sole exception of Isshin. Yuzu, Karin, Tia, and Ichigo were busy preparing themselves for the new semester in school. Yuzu and Karin went off first, their opening ceremony started earlier. Ichigo just finished fastening his buttons, and was waiting for Tia downstairs with his schoolbag. His school uniform consisted of a gray jacket, a pair of gray pants and a white shirt; which he usually didn't wear, preferring his T-shirts.

"Hey Tia, are you ready?" He shouted.

"Coming." She replied from upstairs.

Ichigo smirked inwardly, thinking about the past week. He still had hard time believing that so much had happened in such short time.

Starting with a heavy hit. He was promoted to be the Captain of the newly reformed Kido Corps, and after the most confusing ceremony of his life, he was left speechless in front of pretty much the whole Soul Society. Then, just after he got home, he found another surprise waiting for him in the Human World.

Namely his new roommate and classmate. Despite being a bit wary at first, Ichigo noticed how fast he accepted Tia into his life. Aside from a few very embarrassing situations in the mornings, connected to… cultural differences (especially in clothing), he quickly adjusted to Tia's presence. What's more he felt comfortable around her. While usually befriending someone took him a lot of time, Tia managed to sneak in the circle of people he considered dear, very smoothly.

He also noticed that she seemed to relax more in his presence, and opened up a bit more to him. Which meant that from time to time she was the one who initiated conversations. They also developed the habit of playing chess in the evening… which exposed Ichigo's lack of skills. Grant it with every game he improved, if Tia's comments were to be believed.

Ichigo's mind also traveled to more practical things, like school. Tia somehow managed to catch up on two whole years in little over a week. She actually explained some math problems to him last evening, which embarrassed him to no end.

"I'm ready." Tia said, interrupting his thoughts. Ichigo looked up, and stared at Tia. Her uniform, similarly to Ichigo's, was grey, yet with the addition of being the girls' light yellow version. Tia wore brown boots, gray socks, a skirt that ended half-way down her thighs, a jacket and a white sleeve shirt, both a little tight in the chest area, for obvious reasons and a red ribbon under the collar. She looked stunning, to say the least. Which made Ichigo whisper one word.

'Wow.' He had to fight the blood forcing its way to his cheeks. "Ok let's get going then." He replied quickly while turning around, hoping that she didn't see him blushing. The duo left the house and headed to school. The weather kept getting warmer and warmer, so they didn't need their winter coats anymore, so they went out with light jackets on. The way to school was pleasantly uneventful, and they reached the school's gate in thirty minutes.

Karakura High was built in a traditional manner. It was a big, gray, five floor high building. From above it looked like horseshoe. In front there was a small park with a few trees and benches. Behind it was a sports field and the gym hall. The place was already bustling with life. Students and teachers were moving about and heading to their destinations, whatever they were.

Tia sent a quick glance to Ichigo, and noticed a deep scowl on his face. Curiosity took the better of her, and...

"Is something wrong Ichigo?" She noticed his face immediately brighten, attaining an amused look.

"Nope. I just have a reputation to maintain." He replied, confusing her further.

"Reputation?"

"Yep, if I came to school all happy and smiling they would probably evacuate the place. So I have to keep my mask on. So to speak." He told her with a mischievous smile. " Are you nervous?"

"No I'm not." She replied fast, maybe a little too fast.

"Really? I suppose you're telling the truth. What could scare the 3rd Espada in a human school?" He teased her a bit.

"Your sarcasm does not amuse me, Kurosaki-san." Tia replied frostily, making Ichigo chuckle. He would never admit that, but her getting defensive was cute.

"Oh come on I was only joking, but seriously if anything is bothering you, just tell me." He said seriously, looking deeply into her jade eyes. She broke the stare first and weighed her options.

"Do you think that I'll be accepted in your class?" She asked hesitantly, feeling slightly childish. Hueco Mundo was a desolate wasteland with next to no hospitality. If you met anyone the chances of being murdered were usually high.

In short she wasn't good with crowds.

"I'm sure they'll love to befriend you. If not…' He left the last part hanging with scowl, but soon offered her a easy going smile. "We better hurry the opening ceremony is in the gym." Ichigo stated. On their way they met the rest of the pack. Namely Orihime, Chado, and Ishida. They greeted each other warmly, with only the minimal amount of forced towards Tia, and all headed to the gym.

The gym itself was quite normal. Big and spacious, with fields for almost every discipline, and small work rooms in the back. In the far back of the gym was the stage. It was decorated with big colorful ribbons, balloons, and other pompous stuff. The portrait of the founder of the school, which no one bothered to care to learn or remember anymore, behind it.

The whole teaching board stood there proudly, looking at their students from on high. In addition, the student council was there, as well as the representatives of the parent's council. The school Principal, as was tradition went up, said screw the ceremony and handed the formalities to the Vice-Principal.

The Vice-Principal was a bald, average height, skinny man, with a high pitched voice and irritating personality. Above all he was a total fanatic over his beloved white CRESTA car. Like the founder before, no one bothered to remember his name. He was usually called "That bastard" or "It would be good if he just died". The "popular" Vice-Principal went to the microphone and exclaimed.

"Everyone please be quiet, the ceremony is about to start!" The students in the gym fell silent as the school flag came in, and stopped before the Vice-Principal. He took a deep breath, looking down at the inferior begins in front of him, and stated.

"As you know, our dear school has always pressed fundamental traditional values that…blah blah blah.'' Like most of the normal people Ichigo turned on standstill mode for about the 20 or30 minutes of constant blather and gibberish. Ichigo focused on more interesting things. Ishida, as a smartass and nerd, was listening whole heartily to the boring monologue, making Ichigo sigh. He made a mental note that he wanted to beat the nerdiness out of Ishida. Inoue was humming and swaying gently back and forth, he smirked.

Chado, on the other hand, was still like a stone statue, not even blinking. Ichigo waved his hand in front of him but didn't get any reaction, except for a quiet snore.

'No way, he's sleeping!' Ichigo's eyes widened. He made another mental note to have Chado teach him how to do that. Lastly he turned to Tia, and saw a blank expression on her face. He managed to hold in a chuckle. From the time they spent together he learned that the more neutral she tried to look, the more nervous she was. He elbowed her gently and asked with a smirk.

"How ya doing?" She looked at him and saw the slight taunt on his face, as his smirk grew wider.

She rose an eyebrow, folding her arms under her breasts and ignored him completely. That only added fuel to the fire.

"It's ok to be a little nervous." He teased.

"I don't know what you talking about." She replied bluntly, starting to feel a little irritated by his mockery. Sure she was grateful for all that he have done for her, but no one will make fun of her... ever.

"Are you sure? You look quite stressed." He said smugly.

**'Hey Ti-chan I have an idea. Trust me we'll teach him a lesson.'** Tiburon giggled

"What If I am?" Tia replied, a sinister trap forming in her mind.

"Don't worry I'm here for you." He replied trying to sound manly.

'So easy.' She thought with actual surprise. "Oh I know, like that time in the mall." She started. "When I had such a problem with you-know-what, in the dressing room." She leaned a bit towards him. "You came and helped me out." She noticed that his cheeks started to get darker. In the time they spent together, she learned about him more then he thought. For starters he was extremely prude, even a bit of nudity almost gave him a heart attack. After getting adjusted to human society, she got better at reading human emotions. As well as the situations they considered embarrassing, and the incident in the dressing room was definitely embarrassing.

"I have to say you have quite the skilled hands." She started, barely holding back her lips from curving up. Now Ichigo was literally turning into a strawberry. Their little conversation started to attract attention. She noticed out of corners of her eyes that Inoue stopped humming, Chado woke up, and even Ishida (while still pretending to listen to speech, that was still on the level of values they trying *cough* desperately *cough* to uphold) got interested.

He looked to Tia pleadingly, but her stare held little to no mercy.

"Despite your roughness, you really know what to do." By now blood was almost literally oozing out of his pores. He just gawked at his Hollow friend, not being able to comprehend what just happened. Looking around he saw Chado and Ishida with their jaws hanging near foot level, and Inoue had the biggest forehead vein ever, which pulsed dangerously. He gazed around and noticed other students gawking at him. He made a desperate attempt to regain the pitiful remnants of his dignity.

"Sorry." He apologized sincerely. Making a mental note to never ever make fun of her again.

"Apology accepted." She allowed a look of satisfaction to cross her face.

**'I've told you Ti-chan that it would work.'** Tiburon chirped.

"I never knew that you had a comedic side." He muttered in pouty tone, glaring at the students around him.

"Hueco Mundo teaches you to adapt to any situation, Ichigo." She said wisely. "All I had to do was use all the knowledge I gathered from my time in the Human World, and use it against you." The tone she uttered the words sent shivers down his spine.

Then Ichigo reached the conclusion that every man will reach at some point in his life

Women are damn scary.

After that they stood in silence, though Ichigo could swear that Tia was still mocking him. If the slight glimmer in her eyes were any indication. Ichigo felt suspicious glances from pretty much everyone around him. He was sure the stunt Tia pulled on him would cause some serious gossip, and drag his not so good reputation lower. He hadn't needed a pervert label next to the delinquent one.

After the insanely boring speech finally came to an end, and everyone was about to head to their classrooms, someone spoke to Ichigo.

"So Ichigo what was that ab-" Keigo moved closer, with a leering expression.

"I dare you to finish that question." Ichigo growled, scaring his friend into submission.

"Tia-chan!" Chizuru shouted as she dashed at Tia, her hands aimed towards Tia's breasts. She was immediately stopped when Tia not so gently grabbed her forehead, stopping her dead in her tracks. "So close!" She lamented, her finger tips barely a centimeter from her prize.

"Good morning to you too, Chizuru." Tia said calmly. During the days before school, they she met with Ichigo's friends a few more times. Each time she had to stop the red head from molesting or potentially raping her. One time when she applied a bit more strength Chizuru let out a really disturbing moan, creeping even her friends out since that was off the usual scale.

From that moment onwards Tia decided to simply not allow Chizuru to touch her, hoping that she would get bored and stop it.

It would happen any day now, Tia was sure of it.

"Cut it out Chizuru, we'll be late for class." Tatsuki said.

"Awww, well there will be other occasions." She adjusted her glasses, giving Tia a very dirty look.

The group moved to their class, and on the way Ishida parted with them for his class.

The classroom was already close to full as the teacher and the rest of the students were already there.

Miss Misato Ochi glared briefly at the group, but then softened into a smile.

"Please take your seat..." She looked to Tia and then to her favorite student. "Ichigo I presume that you are aware of your duties as her guide?" The teacher asked, having a slight problems with believing it.

Her comment made the class gasp, then stare at Ichigo and the blonde bombshell that just walked in.

"So…. Tier Harribel." The teacher started wording her name carefully.

"It's pronounced Tia Halibel." Tia said coming to her rescue.

"Thanks. Now maybe you can tell us something about yourself before we start the class?" Ms. Ochi asked.

"I was born in Hawaii, but my family moved to Miami, Florida in the United States when I was a child. I enjoy reading books, classical music, and playing chess." She said with a blank expression. Then she forced a smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you all, please take good care of me." She finished, bowing slightly.

Her declaration caused mixed reactions. The boys looked like they were ready to grovel at her feet, fulfilling her every wish. The girls meanwhile were seething at Tia. Her looks alone made the rest even more bleak than before.

"Ok. Tia-san take the seat behind Ichigo and let's get this lesson started. We have lot of stuff to cover." She stated, opening her book and turning to write on the blackboard.

Everyone started scribbling in their notebooks, more or less paying attention. Time as usual seemed to slow down, but Ichigo for the first time in a while enjoyed the tranquility.

He had to fight the smile creeping up on his face when he heard intense scribing noise from behind. He had his suspicions about Tia being a nerdy type, but if the sounds from her were any indication he had just stumbled on a gold mine of notes.

The bell eventually rang, signaling the end of the lesson, The second the teacher left the classroom the boys literally swarmed Tia, asking for her number, inviting her on dates, or outright confessing their love. For some odd reason the last ones pissed off Ichigo the most.

Meanwhile the girls venture to the opposite side of the room, starting to whisper between themselves and giving Tia clear hostile looks.

The Arrancar looked pleadingly to Ichigo, silently asking for his help.

So Ichigo stood up.

"Cut it out guys, you're being a pain." He said, calmly drawing the attention of the young men. "Give her some space."

"You think you can tell us what to do?" One of the more brave/stupid of his classmates stated.

Ichigo looked to him, than to the window, and back again to him.

For the records their classroom was on the fourth floor.

The guy backed down in fear, followed by the rest of the crowd.

"Let's go grab something to eat Tia, guys." Ichigo said casually, and his group left the classroom, ignoring the whispers that followed.

"Let's hit the cafeteria, it's still pretty chilly outside." Tatsuki proposed, which was readily accepted.

Before they got their Tia excused herself to use the toilet. Chizuru wanted to accompany her, but one withering glare was enough to stop her.

She navigated the halls for a few minutes, before finally finding the bathroom. After she was done she left and almost bumped into a group of girls.

She recognized one or two from her class, but the rest were unknown.

"Look what we have here ladies!" One of the unknowns, with dyed blonde hair and ridiculously tanned skin, stated. "You think you can just waltz in here like you own the place, eh transfer student?"

"I have no idea as to what you are talking about." Tia said calmly. "Now excuse me, I wish to leave."

Tia stepped toward the exit, but the tanned girl slammed her hand against the door frame, cutting off her exit.

"I'm not done with you yet bitch." She snapped. "I don't know who you were in your previous school, but you're on our turf now, and you WILL follow our rules, or else…" She pulled out a pair of scissors, and pointed them towards Tia's hair. "We'll give you a nice new hair cut for starters." Her comment caused a round of giggles. Which were cut off when the leader girl realized that the scissors were no longer in her hand.

With widened eyes she glanced at Tia, who was now holding them. She effortlessly snapped them in two like a match. The action caused the bullies to gasp in shock.

"I don't care about your pathetic squabbles, nor your rules. I came to this place to learn and that is all I intend to do." Tia said calmly, while advancing on the tanned girl, forcing her to back away to the opposite side of the hall. "I also do not approve of being threatened. So unless you have the means to carry our your threat, refrain yourself from doing so… If you fail at that, I will be forced to take action." She hissed the last part, causing the other girl to squirm in fear, tearing up a bit.

Content with the berating, Tia let the girl run to her friends and headed down the hallway.

"What took you so long, Tia-san?" Inoue asked when the Arrancar finally found their table.

"I guess I acquired few new… friends." She paused, seeing the group that tried to bully her just entered the cafeteria. She saw the leader noticing her, then quickly moved to the table in the far corner of the cafeteria. There was a group a boys with strange hairstyles and slovenly uniforms sitting there.

The clearly distressed girls quickly told them something, and the guys stood making their way toward Tia.

Halibel sighed tiredly. Her first day here and she already made enemies, yay for her. Ichigo, who was sitting opposite her, turned around scowling the moment he did.

"Should I be worried?" He asked with frown.

"Most likely." She replied, closing her eyes.

"Hey, transfer student!" One of the delinquents snapped. "How dare-" Then he took a really good look at her face, and rest of her, a really good look. "Hello, I heard that you had an argument with my girlfriend?" He said to her breasts, with a lecherous grin. "Maybe you should come to our table, I'm sure we can work out a satisfying apology." His comment caused the rest of his friends to chuckle.

"No." Tia said shortly. The delinquent rounded the table and grabbed her arm.

"That wasn't a -GYAH!" He suddenly screamed, clutching his limply hanging hand. "My wrist! She broke my fucking wrist!" He wailed.

Everyone gave him a puzzled look, as no one had seen her so much as lift a finger. Correction almost no one.

Ichigo, Ishida, Chado, and Inoue noticed her lightning fast movement.

"Lay your hands on me once more and next time your neck will hang at that angle." She said coldly, sending shivers down many students' spines. The unfortunate bully could swear that her eyes glowed yellow for a moment.

"Y-you whore! I'll murde-Gyah!" This time he was interrupted by a foot slamming into his face, courtesy of Ichigo. The kick sent him flying back, and crashing into the rest of the bullies.

"If you have problem with her, you have problem with me!" Ichigo snapped, standing between them and Tia. Though it was mostly in her defense, he also wanted to minimalize the number of broken bones.

"Don't think that you're some hot shit Kurosaki!" Another one advanced on him, only to stop in his tracks when Chado, Ishida, Tia, Tatsuki, and Inoue stood up, glaring at them. "Shit. Don't think this's over!" The group retreated, dragging their wounded friend.

Sadly that wasn't the end of their problems.

"Kurosaki, transfer student! To the Principal's Office now! You, take him to the nurse." The PE Teacher just happened to enter the scene to see the confrontation.

Ichigo groaned.

"Let's go Tia, the sooner we get this over, the better." He sighed.

Tia silently followed him out of the cafeteria. When they were alone in the corridor she spoke up.

"I apologize."

"For?" Ichigo was actually surprised.

"My actions caused you to get in trouble." She replied, not meeting his eyes. "Therefore I apologize for them."

"You were defending yourself... though next time try to not break anything." He smiled sheepishly. "Mind telling what happened?"

Tia quickly explained what occurred by the bathroom.

"No worries, I think the most we'll get is a pat on the wrist." Ichigo grinned. "Pun not intended."

Ichigo could swear that the corners of Tia's lips curved up, but that could've been his imagination.

When they reached the Principal's Office, Ichigo, a common visitor, moved to the secretary's desk.

"Hello Kurosaki-san, what brings you here today? Absences, fights, vandalism, or did you simply come by to say hi for a change?" The secretary asked. She was already in her late fifties, but still managed to project the aura of a young woman.

"That too Mrs. Sasaki, but my friend and I have to see Principal." He said casually, not noticing the reaction his words caused.

'He called me a friend… No he just said that for convenience sake.' Tia rationalized, but then she furrowed her eyebrows. Why did she tried to rationalize it?

"The Principal will meet you now." Mrs Sasaki said, motioning them to go inside his office after getting the okay.

Ichigo opened the door and let Tia in first. The room could be described as cozy, yet humble. It was equipped with the strictly necessary furniture, though all of them had a good taste and made of light brown wood.

The Principal was sitting behind his desk, typing away on a keyboard and concentrating on the screen.

"Ekhm." Ichigo cleared his throat. The Director blinked, and looked at them from above his glasses.

He was a middle aged man, in his early forties, with raven black hair which surprisingly was free of gray. For a man who spent a lot of time behind a desk, he was well built.

"Ah Kurosaki, and the new transfer student, how can I help you?" He asked with a polite smile.

"Well we might have a slight problem with some other students." Ichigo summarized tactfully.

"How many this time, Kurosaki?" He took off his glasses and rubbed his temples.

"Just one, but-" Ichigo started.

"One? Are they in the hospital, or worse?" The man was now really worried.

"It was all my fault, Principal." Tia interjected. "I'm the one responsible for this student's injury."

"Why would you do such thing? Isn't it your first day here?" The Principal asked.

"He laid his hand on me, and was insinuating… impolite things." She paused, searching for right word.

"Who was it?" He asked.

"Sougo Onisoka." Ichigo said, making the Principal sigh.

"Miss…." He typed something into his computer. "Halibel, you are aware that this will cause some trouble?"

"I am, and I'm prepared to take any punishment you see fit." She replied calmly.

The Principal looked to Ichigo with an 'is she serious?' expression written all over his face.

"Sigh… You're going to clean the classroom after school as punishment." The Director said. "But I don't want you getting into any more fights, is that understood?"

"Yes sir." She replied.

"Kurosaki you're going to help her too." Tia opened her mouth to protest, but the Principal was faster. "That's all, dismissed."

The duo left the office, bidding farewell to the secretary on the way.

"Oh stop moping Tia, it's not that big of s deal." Ichigo said, seeing her unusually blank expression. In the time they spent together, he learned that she was used to putting on an emotionless mask when she was feeling something. The only thing that betrayed her were her eyes.

"I don't think I belong here, Ichigo." She said quietly. "This world is too alien to me."

"You just need time to adjust. Give yourself a chance." He replied with a frown.

"You got punished because of me." She pointed.

"I would take any punishment for my friends." He crossed his arms, indignation written on his face.

"That word again...' Tia again felt a strange tug in her chest. "I'm your friend?"

"Don't be so surprised Tia, of course you are." He stated firmly.

She should feel insulted, but strangely she felt happy at what she heard. More than she should, she reflected.

Suddenly they realized how close they were standing, mere centimeters apart.

"We should head back to class." Ichigo said awkwardly, with reddened cheeks.

"I would like that." Tia stated, pretending that she didn't see his blush.

They returned to the class, earning curious, and in some cases shocked, looks from their classmates. Mostly due to Ichigo being as red as a strawberry.

For the rest of the day things were calm. Other students visibly kept their distance from Tia, but she wasn't that worried, Ichigo and his friends kept her company.

After classes were done, Ichigo lead Tia to the Janitor's Closet to grab some brooms. Tia insisted on doing this alone, but Ichigo would have none of it.

So they moved the desks and began sweeping the floor.

Yet Ichigo couldn't enjoy the simple busywork, because of an unwanted voice pestering him.

'We can do anything we want to her, you know?' Hichigo spoke. 'She feels guilty enough, not to mention that little 'friends' spiel. We need to capitalize on it, and have some fun with her.'

'Would you just shut up!' Ichigo snapped.

'She's totally dependent on us, and she exists only on paper.' His tone was even more disturbing than usual. 'If we claim her right now she wouldn't be able to stop us. She'll be ours, a slave fulfilling our every wish.' He leered.

'Seriously shut the hell up now!' Ichigo growled, unable to stomach such things.

'The icing on the cake is that no one would really give a damn if she were to disappear. No one cares about her, she's an outcast here, she's worthl-'

"Shut the fuck up!" Ichigo roared in fury. His voice ringing out, filled with anger and spite.

Tia almost jumped out of her skin, knee-jerking her broom up in defense. She froze when she saw the dark scowl on Ichigo's face.

She had to admit that it was an intimidating sight.

"Are you ok?" She asked cautiously. Ichigo's attention snapped to her, she could've swore that his eyes were darkened, literally.

"Sorry... sorry for startling you. I'm just fed up with the bullshit my Inner Hollow keeps babbling." He took calming breath.

"What was it about?" She was genuinely curious at what could cause such a reaction.

"You really don't want to know, trust me." Ichigo mumbled, continuing sweeping the floor with greater vigor.

She decided to drop the matter hesitantly, and went back to her duties too.

In about half an hour they were done, and were walking back home. Yet fortune wasn't kind to our duo, since on their way they met an expected, yet unpleasant, obstacle. Namely the same group of bullies from before, with Sougo Onisoka in front. It looked like he brought friends. In total there were thirteen of them.

"You really thought that I would let what you did slide? It's payback time slut?" He showed off the cast that was around his wrist. "You're ass is mine bitch! Get'm boys!"

About twelve delinquents lunged at them, shouting war cries.

"Remember Tia, try not to break anything." Ichigo reminded her, dropping his backpack and getting into a stance, Tia following suit.

As if on cue the duo jumped forward, igniting the brawl. Ichigo kicked the first one square in the jaw quickly knocking him out, while Tia backhanded another, and spun to knee the next.

To a common pedestrian it almost looked like the delinquents were not even trying to hit them. Tia and Ichigo cut though them like paper. Barely two minutes later only Onisoka remained upright.

"Impossible." He muttered, sweating like a pig. Tia slung her backpack back on and casually walked to him. She grabbed his cast-ed wrist, and applied enough pressure for the cast to start to crack. "S-Stop!" He squealed like a child.

"Threaten us any further and I'll end you miserable existence." Tia looked him dead in the eyes. He knew that she mean every word. Her eyes were cold and merciless, like that of a predator.

Onisoka felt a steam of warm liquid run down his leg. Tia let him fall on his butt, almost feeling pity for him…almost.

"Scram." She whispered, but for Onisoka it might as well be the roar of wild beast. With a cry he scrambled up, and ran as if his life depended on it. "I believe that we can go home now." She stated calmly, passing a flabbergasted Ichigo on her way.

'I've never managed to do that.' He thought, shocked that she just made someone piss himself. He knew that Tia had claws, but that was overkill. 'Note to self, don't tick her off.'

He grabbed his backpack and followed her.

* * *

Later That Day – Underground Training Facility

It seemed like today was just one of those days when nothing wanted to go as planned. Ichigo went to meet with Tessai and speed up his training a bit, but instead of large dark skinned man he found smaller dark skinned woman grinning cheekily at him.

"I persuaded Tessai to let me handle this lesson." Yoruichi said smugly. "Since I have a proven record of being able to teach you, he allowed this."

"Like you gave him a choice in the matter." Ichigo mumbled. In a flash Yoruichi was right in front of him, a vein popping on her forehead. The barely restrained anger hidden behind a smile. It was Unohana all over again.

"What was that, Ichig-bo?" She asked way too sweetly.

"I said that I'm so happy to train with you again." Ichigo replied, backing away a little.

"Thought so. We'll start with Kido, since it's your weakest point. How high you're now?" She asked, folding her arms.

"4th in both Hakudo and Bakudo." He replied.

"Ok. Spells one to ten are basically the same and easy to learn. The real fun starts with the eleventh." She stated. "You see, every ten set of spells have basically the same requirements to execute. So the difference between Hado One and Ten is minimal. However there's a rather large gap between Hado Ten and Eleven, Twenty and Twenty One, and so on." She explained.

"What the difference?" Ichigo asked.

"It varies by spell, but usually the input of Reiatsu and proper incantation. There's also control over the element used in the spell, since they're not simply a fancy burst of energy anymore." She moved from him, and pointed her hand to the neared rock.

"Hadō #11. Tsuzuri Raiden!" She slammed her finger on the ground. A current of yellow electricity shot in a straight line towards the rock and electrified it, crumbling it to bits. "That spell is usually used with some chains or wires, but it also work on the ground. Give it a try."

"What about the incantation?" Ichigo asked.

"….Oh hell, I forgot." Yoruichi rubbed her neck sheepishly. "I'm just so used to skipping them, but you can learn by watching me. Concentrate as hard as you can on my Reiatsu, and see the energy shift, then try to replicate it."

Ichigo nodded, focusing on her Reiatsu.

"Hadō #11. Tsuzuri Raiden!" Yoruichi, painfully slow for her, executed the spell. This allowed Ichigo to notice all the subtle changes in her Reiatsu. He had seen how her Reiatsu concentrated in her hand, then started to collide with itself, creating a small burst of electricity. "You got it?"

"I think so." Ichigo focused, trying to imitate her. "Hadō #11. Tsuzuri Raiden!" He slammed his finger into the ground, producing a very weak current which died after thirty centimeters or so.

Instantly he was blushing frustratedly.

"Again." Yoruichi said undeterred. "You used too little Reiatsu."

He tried again, and failed.

"Again."

Fail.

"Again."

Fail.

"Oh screw this!" Ichigo snapped and pushed a large amount of Reiatsu into his hand. Suddenly large yellow sparks traveled along his arm, and a large ball of yellow electricity formed in his hand. Not even a second later a yellow beam of energy shoot out of his hand, obliterating the rock before him and leaving a smoking crater.

Ichigo could only gawk and the sight of the destruction.

"That's the power of a level eleven spell?" Ichigo mumbled.

"No you idiot!" Yoruichi grabbed his ear, twisting it painfully and making him squirm. "That was Hadō #63. Raikōhō you moron!"

"How the hell did I do that!?" He exclaimed.

"You put too much power into your spell! Kido is all about precision, you moron! You can't just force your way through it!" She growled.

"Then why didn't you tell me!?" He snapped, wriggling his ear free from her grasp.

"It's obvious!" She snapped back, a vein popping on her forehead again.

"Not for me! I never went to some damn Shinigami school!" He shouted, throwing his arms into the air.

Yoruichi opened her mouth to reprimand him, but then closed it, realizing that it was true. Ichigo had no schooling on the basics needed to learn Kido.

"Oh…. Ok listen." She took a calming breath. "Can you use Raikoho again?"

"I think so..." He focused again. "Hadō #63. Raikōhō!" A yellow beam shot from his hand, again destroying another rock formation.

"Ok I think we can call that a success. Though you won't be able to move forward if you don't read few Kido manuals… I think I have my old books stashed somewhere. I made quite few notes on them that should help you improve." She rubbed her chin. "Looks like we're going to need Tessai after all."

She said pouting a little.

"What's so wrong with having Tessai as my sensei?" Ichigo wondered.

"I'm your first and foremost sensei." She declared, folding her arms.

"Technically Urahara-san was my first sensei…. Wait, are you jealous?" Ichigo asked in disbelief.

"Am not!." Yoruichi quickly denied her envy, a bit too quickly.

"Kami, you really are! This's gold!" Ichigo burst out laughing, not noticing the dark look on Yoruichi's face, or the almost imperceptible blush. "Ahh that's cute, Yoruichi." Ichigo wiped away a stray tear.

"You seemed to forgot the most important thing about the teacher and student relationship." She cracked her knuckles, a really nasty look on her face. "Their relationship should be based on respect... But don't worry, I'll remind you. Lesson Two: CQC 101."

Then she lunged.

"Not the face!"

* * *

A/N

Sorry guys for the terrible gap between chapters, I really lacked time, it seems to be a norm nowadays. I hope you liked thos one and sorry for it being so short. But stay tuned for the next one ;).

Because we will meet** Lords of the Desert **in tottaly new form!

Also drop a review!


	6. Lords of the Desert

Chapter 6

* * *

I would like all those who like Kim Possible stories to go read the story **,,Part-Time Sidekicks"** written by my friend and other beta-reader **Imyoshi.**

It has a very interesting premise and like all his works **is a high **quality piece of writting so go and read it!

* * *

Ichigo awoke with a groan. His soul hurt, literally. Yoruichi put him through such an ordeal, that if someone (most likely him) had died, only then would she give them any leeway. The bad thing about your soul hurting was that it somehow projected to the parts of your body, meaning that Ichigo's body hurt like hell. To the point he flat out refused to get up next day for school, despite Tia's insistence. After a few hours he woke up again, hearing quite a pleasant sound.

When his eyes pried open he saw Tia sitting at his desk writing something in her note book, surprisingly humming.

Ichigo was really surprised that the normally stoic woman would know such a soft tune. Also he had to admit she had quite melodic voice.

He closed his eyes and just listened to her humming. Somehow it reminded him of lullaby of some sort.

Ichigo remained still for a while, not wanting to interrupt her, but he quickly discovered that he was starting to grow sleepy again.

Deciding that he had to get up, he sat up.

He couldn't predict that Tia would've choked on her own spit, in a pitiful attempt to stop her humming, and throwing herself in fit of coughing.

"Are you ok?" Ichigo asked, very amused by her reaction. As if he caught her doing something scandalous.

"Yes I am." She said matter-of-factly, returning to her scribing hoping that Ichigo wouldn't ask….

"So what was the song?" Tia's hopes evaporated. "It was nice."

"I do not remember. All I know is the tune… Probably some remaining memory of my previous life." She replied, feeling slightly embarrassed at being caught.

"Hmmm, sounded like lullaby to me." Ichigo commented. "My mother used to sing a similar one to me." He said nostalgic.

"Speaking of your mother, when I will have the chance to meet her?" Tia asked. A second later she felt that she had just made a horrible blunder, worse than getting caught humming. If Ichigo's expression was any indication.

"You wont." He replied quietly, looking at his feet. "She died many years ago…. Or to be honest, she was killed."

"Who could do such a horrible thing?" She asked, enraged that someone took a mother from a person like Ichigo.

"A Hollow… His name was Grande Fisher. Iever since I could remember I could see ghosts. He fooled me into thinking that a person was about to jump into the river. So I ran to help and he was about to attack me, but my mother shielding me." He balled his fists. "I ended up fighting him after I became a Shinigami, but that bastard managed to escape."

Tia was at complete loss of words. She felt terrible for making him relive all those horrible memories. But that paled in comparison to the fact that it was one of her kind that did it. She never prided herself in being a killer Hollow like some others. The very idea of gaining power by killing and devouring others was sickening to her. Yet the fear of devolution was stronger, so she kept doing the things she hated to the point it was no longer necessary to survive.

She was about to try and comfort him, but Ichigo continued.

"I really hate Hollows. It's like their sole purpose of existence is to make others suffer." He said looking at the ceiling, and missing Tia's shocked expression.

Her mouth fell slightly agape, and she stared at him with wide eyes. He wasn't looking at her, and she was grateful for that. For those few seconds she couldn't mask the hurt on her face. Quick as always she reigned in her emotions, and put on a mask of indifference.

'Why are you so surprised…I'm a Hollow, he's Shinigami, we're natural enemies.' She thought bitterly. She looked at the neat lines of notes she made. 'It's not like it ever had a chance to work out.'

'Come on TI-chan, he surely didn't mean it… at least towards you. If he truly hated you why would he go through all that effort to keep you safe?' Tiburon reasoned.'Just ask him if he includes you, and we'll see that cute embarrassed reaction of his.'

'I... I need to clear my head before talking to him.' Tia replied. "Excuze me Ichigo, I'm going to take a walk."

"Ehh? That's kinda sudden." He looked at her, but she kept her expression guarded.

"I just need some air." She said neutrally, but left the room in an obvious hurry.

Ichigo looked after her puzzled and trying to figure out what just happened. One moment he was telling her about his Mother, next she was bolting out of their room with blank expression…

'Wait a minute…' He furrowed his brows in concentration. 'Was is something I said?'

'Gotta hit you with a hammer you're so dense, you moron. Of course it was!' Hichigo snapped.

'You should be wary of your words in the future Ichigo, they may be cruel to others.' Zangetsu added.

'But what did I say? I just told her about Mom and that I hat-' Ichigo face palmed so hard that whole neighborhood could heard it. "I'm an utter moron."

'Damn strait you are.' Hichigo agreed, huffing in annoyance.

He stood up feeling all his joints scream in protest, but he ignored them. He bolted down the stairs, but found her jacket and shoes gone already. With groan he went upstairs and started to dress in a hurry.

Not even five minutes later he was outside looking for her. Predictably, she hadn't answered his calls. He texted her an apology, but there was no reply.

So he had to use the old fashioned way of simply trying to find her, sheer luck…..

* * *

_Somewhere In The City_

Tia wandered around the town with no particular destination. She found herself enjoying the sight of flowers blossoming. After she cooled down a little she realized how childish her reaction was. She saw the text message, instantly feeling better, but she still needed to solve one mystery.

Why those words, which she's heard so many times over, affected her to this extent. If she was any other person she could flood a river by crying.

She really couldn't put her finger on why exactly she had the crushing feeling of hopelessness and bitterness, when she heard that Ichigo basically announced his hate towards her. While it wasn't direct, she was a Hollow, and he hated them, ergo hated her.

'But why does it…. hurt so much?' She thought. 'Why do his words hurt so much?' A sigh escaped her. She couldn't understand any of it. The rational part of the brain simply couldn't come to any logical conclusion.

Finally giving up, she was about to call Ichigo when suddenly a loud voice bellowed behind her.

"Fancy meeting here Daughter-to-be!" Isshin exclaimed, making Tia jump. "What brings you to this part of town?"

"I was just…. walking?" She replied lamely, not being able to think of any better excuse. The elder Kurosaki scanned her up and down, before looking deeply into her eyes. "Is something wrong? Please don't lie to me."

His tone left no room for argument. While most of the time Kurosaki Isshin was a goof, Tia easily noticed the glances he sent her when she went close to either of his daughters. If there was a need, he would be on her in second. Luckily, after spending some time with his family the man visibly warmed up to Tia.

"It's complicated… I'm having difficulty understanding it myself." Tia admitted.

"Looks like we need somewhere to sit. I know nice café nearby." Isshin said rubbing his beard.

The two moved to small Chinese stylized café and ordered tea. "So?"

"I guess I should start to why I was wandering around the city…" Tia summarized the short talk with Ichigo. By the end of the story Isshin was face palming.

"Just to be clear I really did all I could to teach him to mind his words." He ran his hand across his hair." But I want to you know that he doesn't hate you even a bit so you don't need to worry." He reassured her.

"He sent me a message apologizing for his words." Tia felt her lips curved up a bit." But that's not all that troubles me here….today I attended school without Ichigo and I noticed how badly I don't fit there." She sighed." Like I suspected Ichigo's friends only interact with me due to his wishes while the rest is now afraid to do so because of my actions from yesterday. Even if someone tried to strike a conversation with me, I couldn't understand what they were saying or referring to, I'm simply too alien for this worlds."

"Look I know it must be hard to not being able to fit in, I had similar problem too when I left Soul Society, you're here just few weeks you need to give yourself a bit of time to adjust Tia-chan, I won't lie it won't be easy but it's not impossible, you're smart and my son told me how you pranked him at the opening ceremony." He grinned when he saw her cheeks color." You can fit in you simply need time, it's natural to have doubts….have you shared any of those doubts with Ichigo?"

"Some but not all…I don't want to sound ungrateful to him, he does a lot for me and I don't want to cause any more trouble for him with my problems."

" I'm sure he won't see it like that, my son really cares about you so if you have any problem you can speak with him about anything…literally." His grin turned slightly perverted but soon turned serious. "He usually don't talk to anyone about what happened to Masaki, the very fact that he told you speak volumes of how much he trusts you."

"I…." she hesitated she wasn't good at that kind of stuff. Usually she was the one giving advices to others." I overreacted when I heard what he said….I don't know why those words…his words affected me like that." Her face twisted with confusion when Isshin burst out laughing.

"You really don't know?" He asked between laughs.

"No." She replied icily, irritated by his giggles.

"Then it's not my place to explain that to you , you have to figure that on your own." He gave her warm fatherly smile. "You're a good soul Tia, just don't get discouraged and good things will come your way."

For few seconds Tia couldn't find any words. Her throat tightened so ever slightly with warmth spreading through her chest. She couldn't deny it was a nice feeling, Isshin seemed to genuinely care about her. He seemed like a person she could lean on. While Ichigo was dependable too he was very young and had his problems too. His father seemed like a better option to confide her doubts.

"Thank you." She said quietly with her voice laced in emotions. His smile widened, he moved his hand and put it at top of her. Tia surprised herself by not opposing this act.

"If you ever want to speak on any subject and I mean any." This time he kept his face serious all the way." I will always have time for you and I will help you to the best on my abilities both as a human and a shinigami so don't hesitate to ask."

All Tia could do was to nod, again having troubles with forming a coherent sentence.

"Ok since that's out of the way call my idiot of a son and tell him that you're with me, I'll give you a lift to home." Isshin called the waitress to pay her while Tia followed his request. She had hard time keeping her face passive while hearing Ichigo's almost panicked voice. She reassured him that she was fine…few times, and promised to come back home.

After twenty minutes of drive Isshin and Tia were back home. No sooner than the Arrancar lady crossed the threshold Ichigo literally assaulted her with pleas of forgiveness.

But luckily before the situation go any more awkward Isshin quickly head-butted his son, pacifying him.

"Now you two can talk. I'll be in the clinic if you need me." He waved them off.

"Damn old goat." Ichigo mumbled, rubbing his forehead. He looked up seeing Tia' barely contained amusement. "Tia I…"

"Ichigo you've already apologized to me profusely, there is no need to prostrate yourself any further before me." She headed off the oncoming steam of apologies. "I also want to apologize for my behavior. I overreacted, know now that you hadn't meant to offend me."

"I had no right-" He began.

"You have all rights." She cut his off again. "My kind killed your Mother, so you have all rights to hate me." When she said it aloud her chest ached a bit. "It's natural to hate the ones that hurt you or your beloved ones…. even the ones that weren't involved in it." Tia closed her eyes, calming her feelings.

"Sometimes you're too selfless for your own good Tia." Ichigo stood. "But I don't hate you Tia, and I doubt that I ever will…. but you know Hollows are really less than loveable." He rubbed his neck.

"I can imagine." She replied with an almost smile. The mood lightened by a large margin, and the awkward air was finally gone.

"So how about we go somewhere to eat? My treat." Ichigo offered trying to sound casual.

"Let me just change into something more presentable."

* * *

_Soul Society_

Rukia sighed in irritation. Here she spent another futile hour trying to pry some details from her brother about Ichigo's promotion. The same happened with Captain Ukitake, and basically any other Captain she tried to interrogate. Which in turn made her even more suspicious about it.

"Rukia-chaaaaaaan!" A shout came from behind. The raven haired girl turned round seeing Matsumoto, followed by Ikkaku and Yumichika. "I was just looking for you!"

"Really?" She withheld her sigh. "What I can do for you?"

"I'm gathering the guys up for a little meeting, Kira, Nanao-chan, Isane-chan, Renji-kun, Hisagi, Momo and Iba are already in, sooo?" She gave Rukia a disarming smile.

"Why not? What's the occasion?" She asked.

"Ichigo's promotion of course!" She chirped. "I can't wait for all the hot gossip to come around!"

"Tsk, he got a lucky shot at Aizen. I bet I could've taken him out." Ikkaku boasted.

Matsumoto gave him very long and very blank stare.

"Stop it Ikkaku, being a sore loser is ugly." Yumichika said, brushing his hair to the side. "Let's go, the others are waiting."

The group moved to the bar, exchanging the newest gossip. When they arrived they found the feast in full swing. The table was filled with food, and sake was flowing in rivers, mainly between males of the table.

"OK!" Matsumoto announced, her cup filed with sake. "For our newest Captain, and our beloved strawberry boy Ichigo! Cheers!" Cups clicked and everyone took a healthy gulp of sake. "Soo good!" She exclaimed.

"I really can't believe they made Ichigo-san a Captain." Momo said, taking a piece of sushi.

"I agree, that must be some new record." Iba rumbled. "He's been a Shinigami for what little over a year? Less?"

Renji and Ikkaku scowled darkly.

"That's quite the achievement." Isane agreed. "Captain Unohana was very excited about it too… for some reason." She furrowed her eyebrows.

"Hmm, Captain Kensei seemed pretty pissed off to me." Hisagi stated. "When I asked him about it I got a really good chewing out…"

"Me too. Captain Rojuro seemed angry too." Kira added.

"Well Captain Hirako seemed anxious." Momo told them. "Do you think that something's wrong?"

Renji and Rukia exchanged quick glances.

"Neither of our Captains want to speak about it." Rukia said, not wanting to share what Ichigo had told her and Renji, yet. There was no need to worry the rest.

"I think that there might be more to it than we know." Nanao adjusted her glasses.

"Now that I think about it, hasn't Captain Zaraki been moody lately?" Yumichika said. "I mean even more than usual."

"True, remember what he did to the guy who called Ichigo a pussy for being the Kido Captain?" Ikkaku chuckled.

"I recall a badly maimed member of 11th being hospitalized recently." Isane added with a small smirk.

"Toshi's been rather cold to me too." Everyone groaned at Matsumoto's bad pun. "But I did overhear him speaking to Captain Kuchiki few days ago." She paused dramatically, savoring the anticipation on most everyone's faces. "It looks like Ichigo's promotion was a set up."

Silence was the only response.

"Geez, really?" Iba rolled his eyes. "We kind of figured that out by now. The question is by whom?"

"It's quite obvious, Iba-san." Kira said. "If it wasn't the Captains, that leaves only one possibility."

"Cental 46, eh? But what would they gain from it?" Ikkaku wondered.

"Everything. I mean Ichigo is basically one of the strongest Captains by now." Hisagi pointed out. "Having him with our ranks, not as a freelancer, is the best possible solution for the Soul Society." He took a gulp of sake. "Also they're able to control him a bit more than before…" Only when he said that aloud, he realized what might have occurred.

Looking at the rest he saw that they had similar expressions of disbelief, with the exception of Rukia and Renji. They were looking everywhere, but on them.

"Damn…" Ikkaku mumbled. "So that's why our Captains are so tight lipped about it."

"Rukia, Renji do you know anything about it?" Nanao asked. "Out of all of us you're the closest to Ichigo."

The duo exchanged uneasy looks.

"Ichigo told us few things, but I don't believe that he wanted everyone to know… you can ask him yourself." Rukia said firmly.

"There goes the nice atmosphere." Matsumoto sighed. "All we need now is some unwanted visitor to kill the party."

As if some higher deity was listening, a messenger Shunpo'ed into the bar.

"Vice-Captain Kuchiki Rukia, and Vice-Captain Renji Abarai, you are to depart to the Human World immediately. There has been a release of Hollow Reiatsu in Karakura Town." He said.

"What's the big deal? Surely Ichigo can deal with it." Renji stated.

"We cannot contact Captain Kurosaki, and the level of this Reiatsu is bordering on Vasto Lorde level. Captain Hirako was already dispatched to the scene."

His statement silenced the whole bar.

"We're on it." Rukia stood and moved quickly towards the door, Renji on her tail. The moment they crossed the threshold they Shunpo'ed towards the Senkaimon.

'I hope you're ok Ichigo.' Rukia bit her lip.

* * *

_Underground Training Facility_

After their meal Ichigo and Tia went straight to Urahara's to practice Ichigo's Hollow powers.

"What do you wish to learn?" Tia asked when they finally set foot on the rocky ground.

"Basically all you can teach me. I'm not really sure what I can do." Ichigo crossed his arms. "From what I remember I could do a Sonido and Cero, somehow…. or rather he was doing them," Ichigo added with a frown.

"I see…. I'm not certain that you can master all of our Arrancar techniques. Bala, Cero, Gran Ray Cero, Descorrer, Hierro, Pesquisa, Sonido are basically the most standard set of abilities." She stated.

"I'm vaguely familiar with some of them, mostly the offensive ones, but I know nothing about the rest. So I think it would be for the best if we go through everything." He replied, rubbing his neck sheepishly.

"Let's sit somewhere. It will take some time to explain them." She sat on the nearest rock, putting her hand on her knees. Somehow she turned into a perfect image of teacher.

'If only female teachers exposed that much skin.' A traitorous thought crossed Ichigo's mind. He blinked and chased it away.

"We should start with Cero. It's the most basic of Hollow techniques. To put it plainly, it's highly concentrated Reiatsu focused on some point of your body. You can shoot Cero basically from any point on your body. The main idea is to control your Reiatsu flow to a point where it starts to gather outside your body. In this case directly above the area where you're gathering your Reiatsu." She lectured. "You can also revert that power back into your sword and release it from there. Similar to your Getsuga Tensho technique."

"I remember you doing something like that when we fought." Ichigo commented.

"Indeed. That variation of Cero often surprises my opponents. Next is Bala, which is basically the same technique, but it's about twenty times faster than a Cero. However it's considerably weaker due to a lesser amount of Reiatsu used. Lastly is Gran Ray Cero, the most powerful variation of a Cero. You have to mix the blood of an Espada with your Reiatsu to empower it, giving it a tremendous boost in power."

"So it's basically about concentrating crazy amounts of Reiatsu into some area on your body, and releasing it?" He made sure he understood the concept.

"Yes and no. If it was that easy any Shinigami could achieve this. You need to have precise control over your Reiatsu flow, so the energy doesn't leak uncontrollably or explode right after you push it outside your body. Also the power structure needs to be Hollow in nature, since it's raw primal energy. Most Hollows use Cero instinctively, and the same goes for the rest of our Hollow abilities. That is what makes them hard to teach."

"Sooo you're saying that Shinigami are more sophisticated beings than Hollows?" He asked with a smug smile.

"Don't flatter yourself." She replied with a glare that could freeze hell over.

"S-sorry." He stuttered.

"Hierro is basically natural armor. The soul pressure you radiate hardens your skin, preventing weaker beings cutting you, and absorb damage from stronger attacks." She stopped to see if he was keeping up. Ichigo nodded, remembering the fight with Zaraki, when he couldn't' pierce his skin.

'Looks like Shinigami and Hollows aren't so different. It's almost like Hollows are some primitive version of Shinigami… with the soul hunger.' But he didn't dare say it out loud, valuing his life.

"Next is Sonido. It is like the Shinigami's Shunpo, but instead of focusing on moving your physical form, you do it with your spiritual presence. It's similar to teleportation. It's slower, but you don't have to touch the ground to change direction." The look on Ichigo's face told her he was lost.

"I'll explain more when we start to practice it." She decided that he would learn faster with practice.

"Ok."

"Now, Descorrer allows you to create a bridge between worlds. The Human World is easier to penetrate since it has much less Reishi than the Soul Society. The tricky part is to navigate and maintain the connection between the worlds. You have to project the image of the place you wish to travel, and then push your Reiatsu to penetrate the fabric of reality. This creates the connection between point A and B." She rose her index fingers to illustrate the point.

"Sound like some physics." Ichigo commented. "But it can't be that easy?"

"There's always the risk of you falling in the space between worlds and never coming back. Many Hollows have met their ends like that, while preying in the Human World." She told him. "Finally is the Pesquisa. It's an advanced perception technique, which allows you gauge your opponent's strength in an instant. It also assists you in learning new things, as it increases your memory capacity." Tia's eyes lit up in amusement when Ichigo's jaw fell.

"SO THAT'S HOW YOU DO IT!" He shouted. "Man I know what I want to learn first. How come you never told me this?"

"Because you never asked." She deadpanned, making Ichigo send her his trademark scowl. "It will take some time to learn Pesquisa. In contrast to the rest, it's more of a mental ability than Reiatsu. We will train it in our human bodies. Thanks to it you will improve faster and master new skills in a shorter amount of time."

"Ok, so what do we do first then?" Ichigo asked, all itchy to start.

"You're the offensive type, so Cero should probably be first." Her guess was proved right when Ichigo eyes started to shine, watching her with anticipation.

'He seems… eager." Tia noted, averting his look. "For your information I've never taught anyone before, so I may not be a good teacher." She warned him.

"Nah. I believe you would make a great teacher." He complimented her with a smile. Again she felt a little lighter and motivated to prove him right.

"Let us begin then. Concentrate on your Reiatsu, but don't move it, let it flow through you." She instructed him. Ichigo followed her instruction, instantly starting to radiate his powerful soul pressure, but Tia wasn't fazed. "Good now look for the area that your Reiatsu seems to flow to most freely." Closing his eyes he focused on in inner flow of soul energy. He could feel the large quantities of Reiatsu moving through his hands, while areas like his back or neck where almost barren.

"Ok, it seems to go through my hands the most." He informed her, seeing her nod after.

"That's the most common place. Some can shoot it from their mouths, or like Stark from every part of the body."

"Really? That Stark guy must've been powerful." Ichigo commented.

"Yes, he was the Primera Espada after all." She felt a pang of sadness while thinking about the lazy Arrancar. He was probably the only one, along with Lillynette, whom she might call a friend. Aside from her Fraccion, of course. "Now try to focus your power into your hands, and cut the unnecessary flows. Gather it solely in one of your palms."

Ichigo felt his right hand start to get warm with the amount of power he was putting in it.

"You don't need to use that much on your first go." She lectured. "Be careful, you might harm yourself."

Ichigo lowered the flow, feeling the hotness leave his right hand.

"Try to push it out of your body, but keep it from spreading. You need to have it concentrated." She paused. "Don't get discouraged if you fail, and learn from your mistakes Ichigo." Tia added.

Predictably the first few times the Reiatsu escaped from Ichigo's grasp it was in random bursts of energy. Yet the calm encouragement and helpful tips from Tia allowed Ichigo to succeed in creating a small ball of red energy on the tip of his index and middle finger.

"Very good. Now slowly, and carefully, increase the output of Reiatsu, then fire at that rock." She pointed at a rock fifty feet away from them. Ichigo raised his arm, and pointed at it. He increased the output, seeing the Cero grow in size. He cut the flow and shot, blasting the rock to pieces in a small explosion.

"That was rather lame." He commented, dissatisfied with his work.

"That was your first real Cero. Be happy that it did that much damage. Now try to make it stronger." She crossed her arms under her breasts, feeling a bit of pride at his success. "Let's see if you can make it stronger."

"If? The question is how much stronger I can make it." He said cockily, making Tia raise her eyebrows.

He carefully followed the previous steps, and then gradually started to empower his Cero.

'Let's see what this baby can do.' Ichigo grinned, pushing even more power into it. Then something went wrong.

"Ichigo that's enough already!" Tia said in alarm. The power he was packing started to be a serious concern.

"I can't stop it!" He said panicking. "I can't stop my Reiatsu!"

"What do you mean you can't!? It's your power!" Tia exclaimed, backing up a bit. By now the Cero was thrice as big as ordinary.

Her comment caused Ichigo to widen his eyes.

'What the hell are you doing!?' He cursed inwardly.

'Seeing what this baby can do! HAHAHAHA.' Hichigo cacked. 'Now BOOM BOOM BOOM!'

"FUCK!" Ichigo swore when the Cero grew even larger. Feeling that he was losing control, he did the only thing he could.

He released it.

"CEROOOOOO!" He roared, firing the large crimson ball off his fingers. It annihilated everything in its path, and when the power reached its peak the explosion blew everything into dust. Breaking the very sky of the facility and shaking the ground from his power.

They could see the literal mushroom cloud shooting into the sky, and a wave of dust coming their way.

'So that's how people in Hiroshima and Nagasaki felt.' He thought looking at an equally stunned Tia.

Seconds before the after blast reached them, Ichigo jumped in front of Tia. His back was turned to the after blast, with the intent to shield her. But his action was futile. The second the blast reached them he was slammed into Tia. A second later both of they were flung into he air. Reflexively they embraced each other, trying to not get separated in the storm.

At one point they hit the ground, everything went black.

Tia was the first one to regain consciousness. She looked around, seeing that the dust was still falling from the sky, meaning that she must have lost consciousness for a few minutes tops.

She noticed that she wasn't lying on the ground, it was way too soft… and moving. She sat up and looked behind her.

Beneath her was Ichigo with his arms spread wide. She was currently sitting on his waist. Feeling embarrassed all of sudden, she quickly moved off him to kneel next to him.

Like Tia, he was covered in gray dust, with his clothes slightly ragged.

"Ichigo." She spoke gently, tugging at his arm but he was clearly passed out. With hesitation she brushed a lock of hair from his face.

'He's so young.' Tia thought, trailing her fingers along his forehead. She moved her gaze to the gaping hole in the artificial sky. She could already see the structure was self-repairing, but the damage was horrendous. 'To think that this was supposed to withstand the power of three Captains.'

Tia looked again at Ichigo, she knew that he was powerful… even more than her, if his Hollow took over. But at the same time he was still so young.

She really pitied him, having such a heavy burden at such a young age wasn't an easy task. Tia wondered if he was afraid of his own power. He told her about his numerous foes that went mad with power, Aizen included. She always felt that there was some undertone to his stories, some fear that plagued his heart.

'He must be afraid of abusing his powers.' She thought, moving his head to her lap. Not really sure why she felt the urge to caress his hair, but she wasn't the one to indulge herself often. So just sat there waiting for him to regain consciousness.

A few minutes later Ichigo groaned and slowly opening his eyes. You can image his surprise when the first things he saw were a mop of blond hair and mocha brow skin. Blinking he realized that he was looking at the bottom of Tia's bust.

Instantly his face got beet red. He swallowed hard, her exposed skin was just mere centimeters from his face. After all he was a teenager.

"Are you ok Ichigo?" Tia asked, oblivious to his peril. To make matters worse she leaned to see his face, unknowingly bringing her breasts closer to his face.

Not being able to take it anymore Ichigo quickly crawled away from Tia. With heaving breaths he looked at her perplexed expression.

"Y-Yeah I'm fine." He stuttered.

"I see…" She said slowly, not sure how to interpret his behavior. "Can you explain what happened?"

"It seems that my Inner Hollow can now play tricks on me…" Ichigo sighed. "He disrupted my control over the flow the my Reiatsu and did that." Ichigo pointed at the hole in the sky. "Sorry." He hung his head.

"Why are you apologizing? It was not your fault to being with." She replied.

"I couldn't stop him." He stated with shame.

"Not everything is within our sphere of influence. You have to learn that some things will happen no matter how much we try to prevent them." She lectured him calmly, pushing her failures deep into corner of her own mind. "You can't let such things weight you down, Ichigo."

"Thanks Tia, I really needed appreciate that." He gave her small grateful smile.

"Think nothing of it." If not for her mask and high collar, Ichigo would be able to see her lips curve upwards too. "Should we continue our training?"

"Yeah, but maybe something less offensive, like that Descorrer for example?" Ichigo suggested.

"Why that one in particular? You seemed much more interested in Pesquisa?" She asked.

Ichigo felt a blush creep on his face.

"You see….I always thought that it was kind of cool to have something like that. You know how Garganta's have that dark portal vibe…. and it's just really cool." He rubbed his neck sheepishly.

Wordlessly, Tia opened a Garganta behind her. She could do it swiftly, but she allowed the gate to slowly open, showing only darkness behind her.

Ichigo stared at her first with surprise, then with something that was akin to classic fanboying, before finally settle in a familiar scowl.

"You just had to rub it in, didn't you?" He asked crossing his arms.

"I have no idea what you are talking about Ichigo." She replied in a perfectly even voice.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" He grumbled, but he was smiling. Ichigo was always happy to see the more relaxed side of Tia.

"Amusement value aside, like I said you need to project the image of the place you want to travel to, then make a connection with it. Be sure to use you Hollow powers. For safety sake maybe you should put your mask on. It should prevent any more interferences." She reasoned.

"Hmm last time it didn't worked so well." Ichigo mumbled.

"Now though you are aware of his machinations. Also, wasn't that mask supposed to keep him at bay?" Tia inquired.

"It should, but he somehow managed to find a loop hole in it and used it. Now that I'm aware of what he's doing I think I'll be able to stop him." In one swift move Ichigo put his mask on. "What now?"

Again Tia was stunned by the sight on his powerful golden eyes. She couldn't explain it, but there was something in them that grabbed her utter attention.

"Tia are you ok? You're staring." He spoke waking her up.

"Pardon me. I was thinking about the best way to explain this to you." She lied smoothly, hoping that he couldn't see the slight blush on her face. She couldn't believe that she was having such reactions around him. "Try to focus on some image from Hueco Mundo…. possibly the one you feel strongly about."

Ichigo closed his eyes going thought the many places he passed through.

The Menos Forest, the desert around Las Noches, Las Notches itself, and finally the roof….

'This one will fit.' He thought. "I got a place."

"Now…. Simply desire to go there." Tia said.

"What?" Ichigo asked perplexed.

"I told you that Hollow powers are very instinctive. It's hard to understand them, but to create a Garganta you have to want to travel to some place. Hollows travel to Human World driven by their hunger. They go back to Hueco Mundo looking for safety from Shinigami, and all of this is driven by instinct. When you practice enough you will be able to open one without such things, but this is the easiest way to learn. Try to image a reason you would want to go to this place." She tried to explain as best as she could. "It doesn't have to be real, just strong enough to awake your feelings."

"I think I got it."

Ichigo closed his eyes and focused on the image of the roof of Hueco Mundo. The place where he defeated one of his strongest foes, in a way he wished never happened. A place when he lost his humanity for a moment and turned into a monster, hurting his friend in a process. He wished that he would be able to stop himself. To go back in time and prevent it from ever happening. To restrain himself from the greatest mistake he ever committed.

Tia observed Ichigo with keen interest, or rather she studied his mask now that she had to chance to see it motionless. On first glance it resembled Barragan's mask, yet upon closer inspection it appeared to be more demonic in nature. Also the twin stripes added the savagery to it.

Her musings were interrupted by the silent snap that signaled the opening of the Garganta. The gate opened very slowly, yet with every passing moment it grew bigger and bigger.

Tia had to admit that she was impressed that he accomplished it on his first try.

"Congratulations Ichigo, you did it." She announced grabbing his attention. She half expected a gloat or jump in joy, but his reaction surprised her.

"Yeah." Ichigo said quietly, staring at the ground. He took off his mask, revealing his downtrodden face.

"Is something wrong Ichigo? You seem troubled." Tia asked in concern.

"I used a bad memory to open the gate… guess I'm not as over it as I thought." He sighed.

"Do you wish to speak about it?" She asked awkwardly. Tia was still not used to personal things like this, but she tried to follow her Hollow's advice.

"Maybe some other time Tia. I still don't feel comfortable about it." He replied hesitantly.

"Very well." Tia nodded.

"Look it's not like I don't trust you, or-" He started. Tia closed the gap between them, and in bold move, at least for her, she put her hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry, I understand that you have something that you're not comfortable sharing with others. But know that if you want someone to listen… you can always come to me." She added after a small pause. She felt slightly embarrassed offering this to him. Surely Ichigo had lots of other people that he would rather share things with than her.

But to her utter surprise he put his hand on hers and smiled warmly.

"Thanks Tia, it means a lot…" He blushed slightly. "I'm glad to have you as a friend."

Tia was rendered speechless at the statement. Even her heart skipped a beat when she heard those words. She felt her face growing hot. The fact that she felt the warmth of his hand hadn't helped either.

Before either of them had the chance to speak, Ichigo was ripped away from Tia by a man-blur named Tessai. He slammed into the unsuspecting Ichigo, and grabbed him into an iron hug.

''Ichigo-donooo!" He howled.

"Hey knock it off!" Ichigo yelled, trying to release himself from Tessai's hold.

"Ichgio-dono I've got terrible news! You've broken the facilities barrier, and sent almost Vasto Lorde level Reiatsu outside. Shinigami are already all over the building. I managed to hide your bodies, but you two need to get out of here!" Ichigo paled in an instant, while Tia's stomach sank. Their cover were about to be blown.

'There has to be a way.' Tia thought, going through the possibilities. Then she found the one she was looking for. "Ichigo, we can find shelter in Hueco Mundo for the time being."

"Good thinking!" Ichigo said. "See ya later Tessai, tell Urahra that I'm sorry about the roof!"

Tia opened a dark portal, jumping in closely followed by Ichigo. When the duo disappeared Tessai looked at the gaping hole in the artificial sky.

"Good thing I persuaded Urahara-dono to add few more barriers between here and surface… Otherwise the earthquake would've surely been stronger than a two degree on the Richter Scale." With that thought he moved to repair the damages .

* * *

_Urahara's Shop._

"There you are!" Shinji opened a cupboard impetuously, but to his despair Ichigo wasn't there. "Damn…"

"Captain Hirako I don't think you'll find Ichigo in the kitchen either." Urahara said with exasperation. "He's simply not here."

"That's bullshit and you know it. Nothing like this happens without him poking his nose in it." He crossed his arms. "Besides the center of the release was barely a kilometer from here, so you have to know something about it."

"Araarara you think too much of me Hirako-san. I'm just a humble shopkeeper." Urahara waved his fan.

"Ok look. I need to write something for the report, and no one will believe me if I say you didn't have something to do with it, so spill the beans Urahara." Hirako grew serious.

"I'm afraid that I don't know any more than you do on this matter. I haven't had a chance to analyze the info I have. Your reaction time was unusually swift today." He sounded surprised.

"We ended a war like a month ago, it's obvious that we're still not out of the heightened alert state." He replied. "So what happened?"

"From what I know Ichigo played with his Hollow powers." Urahara finally said. "That's all I know."

"Why the hell did he do that without saying anything to me!? I could teach him how to do it safely!" Hirako lamented. "We're best buds after all!"

Urahara pretended that this was normal.

"I don't know why, or where, he went. I'm sorry but I can't help you." He said with finality.

Before Hirako could reply, Rukia and Renji entered the room.

"Hello Urahara-san, where is Ichigo?" Rukia cut straight to the chase. "Is he ok?"

"I think so, but I don't know his whereabouts." He said with sigh.

Three blank stares were sent his way.

"So you wouldn't have anything against us investigating it?" Renji asked.

"I guess so?"

The trio stood up and went straight to the source, aka the Underground Training Facility. What they saw stunned them to their very cores.

"Woah…." Renji mumbled.

Aside from the giant hole in the sky, an enormous crater was directly beneath it, smoke still coming from it. In the distance they saw Tessai doing some gesticulation. They moved to him, noticing that his movements where in reality hand seals.

"Ok spread out and see what we can find, while I'll go and have a chat with Tessai." Hirako ordered.

Renji and Rukia circled the crater looking for clues, and except from finding the firing spot there was nothing there aside from rubble. Yet the very search took them over an hour because of the sheer of size of the crater. Empty handed they returned to Hirako.

"Nothing Captain." Renji reported.

"Well Tessai basically said the same as Urahara." Hirako sighed. "They're hiding something, but it's not like I can pry it out of them."

"Damn, looks like Ichigo is stirring things up again." Renji sighed.

"Yeah, it's like he doesn't want thing to get calm." Rukia chuckled. "But I guess without any problems he would get bored."

"He can always hang out with me." Shinji mumbled, clenching his fists. "WHY CAN'T YOU ACCEPT MY FRIENDSHIP, ICHIGOOOOOOOOO!?" He yelled dramatically to the sky.

A Garganta opened in the sky, instantly putting three Shinigami on alert, however what came out of it stunned them beyond belief…

* * *

_Hueco Mundo_

The duo landed on the soft white sand of Hollow world. Ichigo looked around seeing some rock structures with plenty of holes. What intrigued him were stairs leading to the one of the rock formations.

"Tia where are we?" Ichigo asked with curiously.

"You recall when I told you about the place I lived before joining Aizen?" She asked. Seeing his nod she continued. "That is it."

"Oh so this's your home?"

"Home…." Tia pondered the word. "I suppose you can say that. Let us go inside."

Ichigo followed her silently into a cave. Aside from the stairs everything looked just like a natural cave. What really surprised him were the torches inside. Coming right out of the walls, they gave off a bright light without any visible fuel source. When they finally reached the main cave they halted seeing something out of place.

Six hooded figures were sitting around a rock which acted as a table, a some sort of map lying on it.

Tia and Ichigo froze in their tracks. The figures were dressed in dirty, ragged brown robes, with longs sleeves. Some of them looked human, but the others were disfigured, not even resembling humanoids.

Suddenly all six heads turned in their direction.

"Some friends of yours Tia?" Ichigo asked.

"It seems that my home has new inhabitants now." She replied, but her attention was focused on the intruders. She felt there was something wrong with them. "We mean no harm."

"They're strong." One stated in such bizarre accent that they almost couldn't understand him.

"Might cause problems for our masters."

"Extermination may be in order."

"Let's keep the blonde one. Master should be pleased with her."

"Enough. We dispose of them now and proceed as planned."

"Tia let's get out of here." Ichigo said calmly, grabbing her shoulder. In blink of an eye they disappeared in a blur of Shunpo.

"Pointless effort." The leader commented, not even a second later all six of them followed.

Outside the cave Ichigo and Tia reappeared, landing on the sand.

"Sorry for grabbing you like that. What should we do about them?" Ichigo asked,

"It seems they are up to something. We need more information." Tia stated, pulling out her blade.

"You read my mind." With a grin he too pulled out his blade.

"Poor decision." The leader commented. "You might have prolonged your life by a few minutes if you kept running."

"Arrogant bastard." Ichigo growled.

"Don't let his taunts anger you Ichigo. Keep a level head." Tia told him.

On an unspoken order the figures dropped their cloaks, revealing their true forms.

Three of them could pass for human or Arrancar, if not their dry, ghastly gray skin, completely white eyes, and needle thin teeth. All of them were bald as well. They were dressed into almost matching tattered loin cloths, and had beads made from unknown materials hanged all over their body. In addition their bodies were covered in tattoos from head to toe, including their faces.

The apparent leader also had some sort of helmet with withered green feathers atop it.

But the other three were a vastly different story. In reality they looked much more like regular Hollows, yet were emitting a bizarre aura.

The largest one resembled a cross between man and a spider. The lower part of his body was literally a spider's body. It had eight long thick and furry legs, with a massive abdomen towering above the rest. Where spider's mandibles should be, a human male's torso grew out. Like the other three that almost looked human, it's skin was gray and tattooed. He had long white hair and a face that could have been handsome if not for it's milky eyes and needle-like teeth. Those were the only traits that he shared with humans. His forearms were long, bent sickles.

The next one seemed scorpion like. He had a large, thick tail ending with a nasty stinger, and a pincers for hands. His whole body was covered in black chitinous armor, obscuring his face.

The last one drew the most attention from both Tia and Ichigo. He was the most repulsive one, and probably the most disgusting thing they had seen in their lives.

His whole skin was rotting over with what seemed to be raw wounds, and growths all over it. He was hunchbacked with bones sticking out his back, making him look like a mutated hedgehog. He was crouching with his unnaturally long arms touching the ground. His milky white eyes were glued to Tia, which caused her to be even more wary.

But their hideous appearances weren't the thing that shocked the two. What stunned them even more was the fact that all six of them were Vasto Lorde's.

Ichigo could tell that by the power they projected. He guessed since he'd never seen a real Vasto Lorde, except the ones that evolved into Arrancars.

To Tia, who had seen her share of Vasto Lorde's in her life, there was something off about them. While all Hollows lacked a soul, there were at least some remnants needed to keep whole spiritual structure intact. Some traits that defined the abilities and appearance of particular Hollow.

But these Vasto Lorde's were…. empty. Not even a faintest trait of humanity could be sensed within them. Tia couldn't feel even an echo of what they once were. Which was even more disturbing since every Hollow was made from thousands of other souls.

They seemed like husks, dead yet somehow alive.

"Ichigo." Tia spoke gravely. "Be on your guard all the times, there's something wrong with them."

"Ahh it seems that the impure one can sense it." The leader said. "There is nothing wrong with us, hybrid. We are near perfection in our evolution, unlike you who tainted yourself with the Traitor's powers."

Ichigo and Tia shared a bewildered look.

"I have no idea what are you talking about." Tia replied.

"It doesn't matter, you will die soon. Alzec, Minat, Rotar take care of the impure one. The rest are with me." The leader said.

One of the human looking Vasto Lorde's, followed by the scorpion looking one and the hedgehog, moved toward Tia.

"If you think I'll let-" Ichigo started.

"Silence trash." The leader stated, waving his hand. Suddenly the ground between Ichigo and Tia ripped open by a mighty force, sending the two flying in opposite directions.

"Keep the impure one alive. I want to examine it." He instructed, heading to where Ichigo flew.

Ichigo stood up, and spit out sand that fell in his mouth.

"What are you?" The Vasto Lorde asked approaching him. "You Reiatsu structure is…. unique."

"I'm Human if that helps." Ichigo replied sarcastically. "What the hell are you?"

"My name is Xalec, and my companions are Othar and Midar." He pointed the spider then the humanoid respectively.

"What do you want with us? And who are these Masters of yours?" Ichigo asked, brandishing his sword.

"You don't need to know." His mouth spread into a nasty grin. Xalec's two companions jumped at Ichigo. He blocked Othar's sickled arm, while at the same time grabbing Midar's fist aimed for him jaw. Gathering his Reiatsu, he jumped back and released a blue Getsuga at them, forcing a retreat.

"He seems strong." Othar commented.

"Irrelevant. Nothing can stop our mission. Annihilate him or face my wrath." Xalec said idly, as if he wasn't making death threats.

"It shall be done." Midar stated. He rose his hands into the air, and then started chanting in an odd language. "Una arrak sotior kaha! Ghori trieti! Sobok nuri! Mitar harat ordon demitis!"

His tattoos started to glow a sickly yellow color, and pulsing as if alive. Then they started to move slowly, leaving his body and forming tendrils around him. Each tendril had ended with a snake head. Now five tendrils made of dimly glowing green tattoos were lazily swaying around the Hollow.

Ichigo was watching this with slightly wide eyes. He had never seen anything like this before. None of the Hollows he'd ever met acted this way, or gave off such a foreboding aura.

'Need to be careful.' Ichigo thought. Midar glowed with power before lunging at Ichigo with a primal snarl, followed closely by his companion, glee on his face.

Ichigo lifted his sword in defense, awaiting the onslaught. Midar's snakes struck at him, but Ichigo swatted them away with one swing of his sword. The Hollow itself was already on him, burying him under storm of strikes. To make matters worse, he had to dodge the snakes too, not to mention his companion.

Each time one of Midar's hits collided with Ichigo, he felt his bones tremble. Every contact with Othar's sickles caused a waterfall of sparks to come from his blade.

"Gyah!" He yelled when one of the snakes penetrated his defenses, and bit his left forearm. Instantly that whole limb burned as if aflame. With a growl Ichigo sliced the snake in half, and jumped back to gain some distance.

He looked at his forearm in disgust. The remnants of snake head melted into a green goo. In one quick move he swatted it off him, yet the damage was done. His whole arm felt numb, as if life less.

Ichigo's eyes widened when he realized what happened. The Reiatsu from his arm had been totally sucked out.

'Some absorption technique?' He thought, redirecting some of his power to that arm. He glared at the Vasto Lorde who was smirking smugly. The snake Ichigo cut off, regenerated and hissed at Ichigo. 'Looks like I have to up my game.'

He pointed his sword at his foes.

"Ban-Kai!" He uttered, disappearing behind a wall of black Reiatsu. His release caused a powerful wind to pick up, sending a cloud of sand in every direction.

Both Hollows squinted their eyes, trying to see through the cloud, but to no avail. When they realized that Ichigo was upon them, it was far too late.

The young Captain's fist collided with Midar's face with monstrous force, sending the Vasto Lorde flying backwards. Not wasting a second Ichigo lunged at the other Hollow, raising his sword high.

Othar managed to block him using both of his sickled arms, yet he hadn't expected the force Ichigo was putting into his attack. The spider Hollow was instantly driven backwards by the Shinigami.

Snapping out of his daze he braced himself, and using all the strength his eight legs possessed, he dug them into the ground. Ichigo's tempo started to slow down. He tried to press more, but the Hollow was putting up a fight.

Othar snarled at Ichigo, baring his needle like teeth.

"Arrogance will be your undoing human!" He opened his mouth, forming a Cero. He didn't expected Ichigo's sword to start emitting pure black energy.

"Getsuga Tensho!" Ichigo snapped, releasing his signature attack. Othar screamed in pain as the attack ripped into his body, sending him flying backwards too.

The orange haired Shinigami hadn't had the time to catch his breath from the minor victory, Midar suddenly appeared behind him, intending to pierce his heart with his outstretched arm. Ichigo's top-notch reflexes prevented that.

In the blink of an eye Ichigo spun around, grabbing Midar's arm and throwing him into the air. The Shinigami lunged after him, intending to end the fight, but the Hollow was ready. A green Cero appeared in each of the snake's mouths, and a second after a literal rain of blasts fell on Ichigo.

With his speed he avoided all of them, slowly reaching the Hollow. Unfortunately he was too focused on dodging.

Another Cero, fired by Othar, hit him in the back, disrupting his movements. The second that happened three green Ceros hit him up front, sending him flying away at terrifying speed.

Ichigo hit the ground with a powerful thud, launching a geyser of sand into the air.

The two Vasto Lorde's had no intent of letting Ichigo regain his footing, and went in for the kill.

Their haste cost them dearly, as if was what Ichigo had been waiting for.

"Hadō #63. Raikōhō!" Ichigo uttered.

Time seemed to slow down for the two Hollows. The veil of dust suddenly parted, revealing a ragged and smoking Ichigo, with a violent ball of yellow energy in his hand. Before either of them managed to dodge, Ichigo shot a devastating ray of electric energy at them.

The attack hit one and chained into the other, electrifying both of them and giving Ichigo the perfect chance.

He jumped into the air, and pointed his sword down. With an incredible burst of speed he descended on Othar like an eagle. He stabbed his sword right into the middle of his furry abdomen.

The spider Hollow roared in pain. He wriggled like crazy, trying to thrown Ichigo off, but the blade was firmly lodged.

"GET OFF YOU FUCKING SCUM!" He snarled, trying to reach behind and failing.

"Getsuga Tensho" Ichigo fired point blank, right inside Othar's body and ripped the whole abdomen apart.

"Guah…" Othar coughed an ungodly amount of black blood out of his mouth, swaying on his four remaining legs, as the others were blown off. Literal rivers of the blood were coming from his back, creating a small waterfall behind him. "Impossible-" With that the life left the Vasto Lorde. His body fell limply to a sandy dune, never to move again.

Ichigo glared at the other Vasto Lorde, quite satisfied when he saw that the confident smirk had left his face.

"Don't think that you have won!" Midar snapped. "Arat uk noron qut seka tokan gonit beskan!" He chanted.

The snakes started to glow green, and slowly retreated into his arms, forming two blades. With a battle cry he lunged forward, swinging his bizarre swords furiously. Ichigo blocked his attack with some difficulty. Midar's attacks were powerful, and each time their swords clashed waves of sand were pushed to the side.

After exchanging dozens of strikes, their swords locked and each side tried to overpower the other.

Ichigo almost puked when Midar's breath reached his face. It reeked of death and decay.

"You will perish like many before you." The Hollow stated.

"I will if I continue smelling your breath even a second longer." Ichigo snapped and kneed the Hollow in solar plexus. Midar staggered backwards, gasping for air. He looked up only to see the tip of Ichigo's blade moving towards his head, with worrying speed. Tilting his head to the right, he avoided the blade and counter attacked with a stab of his own. He managed to graze Ichigo's side, but nothing more.

The opponents separated again.

'I underestimated him.' Midar thought, glaring at Ichigo. He hadn't even looked winded. 'Just how much Reiatsu does this brat have? I took a sizeable portion earlier.' Then he felt a presence next to him.

"I have grown impatient." Xalec said next to his comrade. "I always knew that Othar was a weakling, but you severely disappoint me."

"B-But that boy has proven to be especially skilled. I just need more time!" Midar felt fear clenched his heart.

"You dragged this on long enough. I don't tolerate failure… yet you can be a use to me…." Xalec grinned.

"No! augh!" Midar tried to run, but Xalec was faster. In one swift move he plunged his hand in his companion's chest. The other Hollow gasped in pain, spitting mouthfuls of black blood. "Mercy…"

"Mercy…. you were always the funny one." With that Xalec ripped Midar's heart out. Silent the other Hollow fell, while his leader had a gleeful expression on his face. He licked his lips hungrily looking at a piece of what seemed to be pure darkness.

"What the hell is that?!" Ichigo exclaimed, horrified.

"Have you wondered why we don't have a Hollow Hole?" Xalec grinned, tiling his head to the side. "Behold." He showed the matter of pure darkness. "This is how perfection happens!" With that he bit into it, making sickening squelching noises. In seconds he devoured everything. "Delicious."

"You're sick!" Ichigo uttered, disgusted.

"You're dead, so I guess we're even." He suddenly appeared behind Ichigo and delivered a powerful kick in his back, sending the young Shinigami flying. Ichigo hit the ground a few times, before he actually stopped.

He didn't even have a second to regain his bearings, when the Vasto Lorde was upon him. Rolling to the side Ichigo avoided having his head crushed by the Hollow's foot. He swung his sword low, aiming to cut off his foot, but the Hollow lazily jumped avoiding it with ease.

Ichigo jumped to his feet, and charged with a battle cry. His Reiatsu flaring, yet Xalec only grinned and extended his arm forward with an open palm. He did a simple pushing motion.

The young Shinigami felt as if invisible wall hit him, and the mighty unseen force flung him backwards. Xalec started to swing his fists, as if trying to hit the air, Every time he did, a literal storm of invisible hits fell on Ichigo. They were so fast that all he could do was to stand and take them, since his opponent hadn't given him the time escape.

"HAAAA!" With mighty roar Xalec lunged forward, physically punching Ichigo in the middle of his chest.

The hit was so powerful that it actually created a crater beneath them, as the ground wasn't able to withstand the pressure.

Ichigo's eyes bulged out, and he felt his ribs crack. The Captain was catapulted from the ground, spatting up a disturbing amount of blood.

'Fuck.' Ichigo thought while flying, up with tremendous speed. Looking to the side he saw Xalec already on him.

Doing an acrobatic front flip, Xalec used his heel hit Ichigo's back with monstrous force. Sending him diving to the ground in a speed so dire, that it created sonic booms on the way.

A second later Ichigo hit the ground. The impact caused the very ground to shake. A seven stories high geyser of sand shot into the air, blowing dust everywhere.

Xalec slowly landed on the ground, admiring his handiwork.

"Othar, Midar you pathetic garbage, you fell to that?" He snorted, turning his back to Ichigo's crash site.

He paid dearly for his superiority. A burning sensation ripped through his back, as cold steel cut into his skin. The slash caused him to stagger forward a few steps. Turning back around Xalec, for the first time in a really long time, was taken off guard.

Because before him stood a fellow Hollow, with a demonic skull mask and golden blazing eyes. Only Ichigo's torn up uniform and orange hair allowed Xalec to recognize his opponent. Even his Reiatsu structure drastically changed.

"What are you?" He snapped. A Hollow taking on Shinigami powers was one thing, but a Shinigami taking Hollow powers? 'Unforgivable!'

"Your worst nightmare." Ichigo growled. "Getsuga Tensho."

A literal wall of darkness descended upon Xalec. He lifted his hands in defense, attempting to withhold the onslaught, but the second it connected he was throw back by the show of force.

"Don't think that this will stop me!" He howled. "Arton NOX!" Xalec's tattoos started to glow a pure white color, and similarly to the Midar started to move. They traveled to his hands elongating them and turning them into long thin claws, that appeared to be made of light.

With a primal snarl Xalec ripped apart the black Getsuga, and landed in crouch on the ground. A second later he lunged at the oncoming Ichigo.

The two clashed, causing an explosion of power. In a series of high speed slashes, they tried to overpower one another. Numerous cuts appeared on both of them, yet nothing life threatening. That hadn't stopped them from trying their best to murder each other.

Each time their blades collided sparks would fly, followed by bursts of Reiatsu.

Xalec's temper flared. To think that someone like this Shinigami dare to challenge him. What's more, mock him with the usage of Hollow powers.

He slashed his clawed hand violently, forcing Ichigo to retreat. Using that moment he jumped back, glaring at Ichigo.

"Time to end this." Xalec spat, gathering his Reiatsu. It appeared gray in color, yet it wasn't like the others. His tattoos visualizes too, entwining his whole aura.

Ichigo didn't care, he followed suit, flaring his black Reiatsu too and raised his sword high.

Both of them simultaneity lunged at each other with blood curdling shouts.

When they clashed their power obliterated everything around them, creating a massive typhoon of Reiatsu.

In the eye of the storm Xalec and Ichigo fought a battle of wills, trying to overpower the other. The glowing white eyes started into blazing black golden ones. Energy circled around them and sometimes burst in a random flare, as the warriors raised their Reiatsu ever higher.

To Ichigo's terror Xalec started to overpower him. His eyes started to glow even brighter, for a second gaining a green tint to them.

Millimeter by millimeter his claws pushed Ichigo's blade back, despite pushing all his strength forward. After what seemed like an eternity Xalec finally swatted Ichigo's sword to the side.

"You're mine." He uttered and slashed, digging into Ichigo's chest and causing a fountain of blood to erupt.

The release of the power resulted in a massive explosion of black and gray, causing an minor earthquake and massive storm at once.

Ichigo's body flew out of the storm cloud, blood and smoke trailing behind him. He was bleeding dangerously, and his mask was broken, leaving only the lower part of the jaw intact.

'What a monster.' He thought numbly. At some point he felt himself losing consciousness, but he couldn't move a finger.

In a stroke of extremely bad luck Ichigo managed to see the fate of his companion and a friend. Suffice to say this day couldn't get any worse.

* * *

Tia gracefully landed on the ground. She wished to aid Ichigo, but her way was cut off by the three Vasto Lordes that were sent to deal with her.

Tia started blankly at the trio, gauging their powers. The two less human looking where rather average, with the hedgehog the weakest among them. Yet the human looking one was an entirely different story.

'Better to play it safe than sorry. Ichigo is in need of help.' Halibel flared her yellow Reiatsu. "Hunt, Tiburon!"

Out of nowhere a typhoon of water surrounded Halibel, shielding her from her opponents.

'I need to finish this fast.' She pointed her shark tooth shaped sword in the direction of the Hollows. "La Gota."

In quick succession, she fired three bursts of water at them. To her dismay all three of them swatted them to the side with next to no effort.

"Oh no she's slashing water at us." The scorpion one said mockingly. "What should we do?"

"I have a few ideas what we could do with her." The hedgehog leered, showing his long black tongue.

"Rotar focus on the task at hand." Alzec, the human looking Vasto Lorde, nagged the hedgehog. "Minat, Xalec wants her alive, non-lethal attacks only."

Tia glared at the apparent leader of the squad. He seemed way too confident, if his causal attitude was anything to go by.

"But let's not stall things for too long. Xalec is rarely patient." Alzec looked to Tia with his disturbing milky eyes.

They said that the eyes were gateway to soul. Right now Tia felt that the sand beneath her feet had more soul that this creature standing before her.

His mouth spread into a wide, cold smile.

"Let us see what this Hollow has have to offer." In an instant all three of them disappeared in a burst of Sonido.

Not even a second later Tia had to block a nasty undercut, a swipe to her midsection, and dodge the pincer that threatened to take her head. All of that took as long as is takes to blink. To a common shinigami the whole fight would look like a random burst of sparks here and there. To a trained eye it was deadly battle. Tia had to put everything she had, and then some, in keeping her defense firm.

The Vasto Lorde's were relentless and brutal in their slaughter, not giving her a chance to counter attack.

Thinking fast she charged a weak Cero, and drew it inside her sword. Then she slashed, creating a wide arc of yellow, forcing the trio to retreat and give her some much desired breathing room.

"Hirviendo!" She shot a wave of boiling water at them, forcing them to spread even further a part. Content with the results, she Sonido'ed towards Rotar, since he was the weakest one. She wanted to finish him off first… also the look he was giving her pissed her off.

Taking her sword in two hands, she fell on the Hollow with a mighty force. She expected him to dodge, but his maneuver surprised her greatly. He laid flat on the ground, with his spiky back facing her. Just when she was about to slash, the spikes suddenly exploded in length. Tia twisted herself at an impossible angle at last second, avoiding being turned into Arrancar-kebab.

She was about to fire a Cero at him, when the timely intervention of Minat prevented that. She used her sword as a shield, blocking his stinger from stabbing her. Which was rather fortunate, since now her blade was covered in purple venom.

Acting on instinct she kicked backwards, hitting Rotar in the middle of his chest and sending him flying. Immediately she was back to fighting Alzac again. Raising her forearms, she blocked his flying kick, which made her bones shake.

She swung her sword, but missed her target. Gritting her teeth, the fight was already dragging on far too long.

She was starting to get a nasty flashback to the last real fight she had. Like hell she would allow someone she cared about to be hurt. This realization hit her like a tons of bricks, almost making her lose her focus.

'I care about him?' The revelation shocking her, before having to parry Minat's pincer. 'No, focus on the matter at hand.' She went for a nasty stab, grazing the scorpion Hollow's side, but his black armor withheld the strike.

Using his pincer he locked the sword in an iron grip. Drawing his other pincer back he was about to strike Tia, but she wisely let go of her sword. With the sudden lack of resistance the Vasto Lorde lost his balance.

The Arrancar woman banked on the opening. She created a Cero in her hand and charged forward. Planting the ball of energy in the Hollow's gut, while grabbing her sword with the other hand.

Minat gasped feeling the point blank Cero about to pierce his Hierro. He let go of her sword, and was sent flying by the sheer of energy Tia put into the attack.

Using the temporary disarray of her opponents, she charged forward, creating a massive Cascada. With water snaking around her she plummeted down upon Alzec and Rotar, catching the latter within the sphere of water.

"Hirviendo!" She uttered, instantly boiling the hedgehog Hollow. She could see him opening his mouth in a wordless scream.

It wasn't a method of fighting she often used. It was needlessly cruel in her opinion, but effective all the same. Rotar, in a last ditch effort, charged numerous Ceros around his body and shot them all at once. He managed to disperse the water around him.

He fell to the ground, horrible burn wounds all over his body.

"Y-You whore…" He rasped shakily, climbing on his feet. Tia lunged forward, intending to finish him off, but she never reached him.

Alzec jumped in out of nowhere, scoring a firm hit against her. He planted his fist against her cheek sending her flying.

Tia hit a sand dune with incredible force. Her whole left side of her face was numb, but she knew that there wasn't much time before he would be on her again.

She jumped to her feet, her sword risen in defense, but no one attacked her. She saw the three of them standing in line before her.

She noticed that Minat was heavily bleeding from his midsection, and Rotar could barely stand. Alzac looked between them, then he spoke turning his head to Minat.

The scorpion Vasto Lorde moved in an instant. His pincer closed around Rotar's head, crushing it utterly. Black blood slid down his pincer in streams. Then he used the other one to dig it into his fallen comrades chest, pulling something out.

She couldn't see what it was, but she could see that Minat devoured it quickly. She watched as Alzac rose his hands to the air, starting to wave them in weird motions. A few seconds later the tattoos on his body started to glow in dull gray color. Then almost if they were alive they started to move and expand beyond his body. In a matter of seconds two large dull gray wings grew of his back. From this distance it almost looked like they were made of bones.

'What is this technique?' Tia wondered. She had never seen anything like it before. No Hollow known to her ever used something like it.

No sooner did she finish this thought, Alzac disappeared from sight. Before she could manage anything, horrible pain went down her back as something incredibly sharp pierced her skin. She spun around, aiming to cut her opponent down, but only cut air.

She frantically looked around, but she didn't seen anyone. She felt the blood dripping down her back, but she ignored the unpleasant sensation.

Suddenly she was bathed in dull gray light. Looking up she saw Alzac charging a gray Cero.

With wide eyes she managed to jump to the right, before the ground where she stood was eradicated in a powerful blast.

Sadly Minat was already waiting for her, and engaging her in fevered combat. By devouring Rotar he had healed himself, and was at full strength again.

She went for a stab, forcing him on the defensive, but not for long. Alzac fell on her from above with a vicious war cry. Tia dodged him, yet a bleeding wound on her shoulder was a proof that she wasn't fast enough.

The scorpion Hollow used her retreat and lunged at her, slashing his with pincers in an X motion. Tia lifted Tiburon in defense.

The blades collided with a clang, creating a waterfall of sparks. Tia grunted under the pressure but held firm. Knowing that Alzac would be on her any second, she flared her Reiatsu, forcing the Hollow back by the sheer pressure. She jumped into the air creating a large dome of water above her head.

"Cascada!" She sent the violent torrent of water at him. As she predicted he jumped into the air. Tia pointed her sword at him and charged, but was blocked by Alzac's wings. To her surprise the tattoos started to wrap around her sword, immobilizing it.

Tia tried to yank it out, but the grip was too firm.

"You've lost." Alzac grinned.

Tia eyes widened when she felt a presence behind her, but it was already too late. In lighting fast motion Minat's stinger hit her back, coming out the front.

Tia started at the stinger sticking out of her side. It was dripping with purple venom and blood.

She looked up seeing Alzac's sinister smile.

Her body was growing numb fast and her power left her. She fell from the sky fast, and hit the ground with thud.

The two Vasto Lordes slowly descended, landing next to Tia's prone from.

"Heh, bitch got spunk." Minat's commented walking closer, attempting to kick her.

"Wait you fool, she's still-" Alzec attempted to warn him, but it was already to late.

Tia using the last ounce of her strength, jumped to her feet and stabbed the scorpion Hollow straight through the chest, penetrating his Hierro.

"To Hollow bitch!" He rose his pincer in attempt to decapitate her.

"Ola Azul." Tia uttered weakly.

Minat's back literally burst out, showering everything, including Alzec behind him, in black gore.

He gurgled, coughing black blood out of his mouth. His milky eyes staring with disbelief at Tia.

"Perish." She uttered slashing up, cutting the upper part of his body in half. He awkwardly stepped back, with two hales of his upper torso leaning to the sides. A second later he fell… Tia followed him shortly after, her body finally giving in.

She heard the sand shifting beneath Alzec's feet as he came closer. Tia couldn't even lift her head. Her body was getting totally numb, as the venom finally did it's job.

Alzec grabbed a fistful of her hair and forcibly yanked her upwards. He looked into her eyes with disturbing intensity.

"You're strong." He commented. "Swear your loyalty to me, and I'll convince Xalec to spare you."

Tia didn't honor him with a reply.

"So be it… I'll enjoy it either way." He grinned, slowly leaning to her neck. Then in one swift motion he sank his needle-like teeth into her, causing her to gasp.

Tia opened her mouth to scream, but no sound came.

'He's, he's….' Her vision started to fade as her Reiatsu and blood was sucked away.

Just before she fainted, he pulled away grinning at her with crimson red teeth.

"Delicious! So fresh and full of life!" He commented with a maniacal chuckle. "I haven't feasted like that in centuries… I'm definitely keeping you." He caressed her check in a mock caring manner. "I'll-ara?"

He paused when a blur of orange and black passed next to them.

"I-Ichigo…"Tia breathed.

"Looks like your little friend's down too." Alzec said in amusement. "Now where were we?"

"Alzec!" A voice snapped from behind him. "Have I allowed you to consume her?" Xalec growled, entering the scene.

"It was just a taste, fabulous mind you." He chuckled. "Where's the rest?"

"Dead. I see the same happened to you… Hmm they have proven to be much more resilient than I imagined." Xalec rubbed his chin. "We need to-"

"LET HER GO!" Ichigo shouted, stumbling towards them.

"You're getting sloppy Xalec." Alzec chuckled. "Wait…what the hell is up with the mask?"

"Apparently he's a hybrid too, Shinigami with Hollow powers." He replied folding his arms.

"Damn abominations…. well this one is quite exotic." He shook Tia's head, much to Ichigo's anger.

"I-Ichigo…." Tia wheezed, hoping that he could hear her.

"Ohh looks like she wants to tell you something!" Alzec exclaimed in sadistic pleasure. "Come on dear, speak up I'll allow it."

"Ichigo….run!" She choked out. "Run!" She begged to whatever deity that was listening.

The young Shinigami heard a sound from behind. Looking back he saw a Garganta behind him.

"Go!" Tia urged him desperately. She saw that he was in no condition to fight. He was burned and bleeding all over. "Save yourself!"

Ichigo stared at her in disbelief.

'She wants me to abandon her?' Ichigo felt something awakening in him. 'To sacrifice her?'

"Isn't that sweet Xalec?" Alzec burst out laughing. "FRIENDSHIP! How long has it been since we've seen something like that in a Hollow!?"

"It's been quite long." He uttered as amused as his companion. "So what will you do boy? Will you run? Or will you stay and perish with her?"

"I told you I want to keep her." Alzec said looking straight at Ichigo, while licking Tia's bleeding neck. "It's too much of a waste to kill her."

As soon as he did it, a powerful pulse of Reiatsu came from Ichigo.

"You motherfuckers…." He let an inhuman hiss out of his mouth, his golden eyes blazing with fury.

He started to see red.

'Ya called Kingy?' Hichigo laughed.

'No!' Too late Ichigo realized what he had done. A white mass started to come out of his mouth, chest, and eyes and started to cover his body.

'I can save her you know, these pussies ain't got anything on me.' Hichigo stated with laughter.

'S-Stop.' Ichigo felt his control quickly slipping. By now a horned helmet formed on his head, along with red fur around his neck. Ichigo tried to pry the mask off his face, but his hands felt numb. He fell to his knees struggling with all his might, but he was losing the fight for his sanity.

More and more of his body disappeared beneath the white mass. His screams stopped sounding human, and now they resembled the roars of a wild beast.

Meanwhile Alzec, Xalec had completely forgotten Tia and watched Ichigo's sudden transformation. All amusement drained. The power he was projecting was simply unbelievable.

"This might become dangerous." Alzec said, dropping Tia to the ground. "We need to terminate him now."

"Agreed, let's go."

Both Hollows lunged at Ichigo, gathering all the Reiatsu they could. They fully intended to end this in one go. But they were too late.

Ichigo pried his now clawed hands off his face, showing a demonic skull to whole world

"GRAAAAAAA!" He roared, creating a powerful sound wave. So powerful that it actually stopped the Vasto Lordes in their tracks. Stunned by the sheer of force they missed that Ichigo wasn't in front of them anymore.

"Where did he-" Alzec couldn't even finish as Ichigo suddenly appeared before him. His black sword raised high, he slashed down the Hollow's chest, leaving an oblique wound. Black blood gushed out of it.

Xalec slashed his claws at Ichigo, but he almost lazily blocked them with his sword. Then he punched the Hollow in the face, sending him crashing to a sand dune.

Ichigo focused his attention back to the struggling Alzec, letting a low growl come out of his mouth.

Ichigo disappeared in burst of Sonido, reappearing behind him not even a second later. He dropped his sword and grabbed the base of the tattoo wings. And he pulled.

"STOP ITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!" Alzec howled in horrible pain. They both fell from the sky, making a crater upon contact.

Ichigo used his feet to gain better leverage, pulling even harder. The Vasto Lorde's screams rose an octave before finally breaking, when Ichigo savagely ripped off his wings off.

There was no blood, the tattoos just dissolved away, but the way Alzec's body convulsed was the testament to the anguish he was in.

But in his current state Ichigo couldn't give a damn about that. He viciously stepped at the back of his head, crushing it in one swift merciless show of force.

He turned his head to the side, seeing Xalec charging on him. Using the same technique as before he started punching the air before him.

Yet to his horror none of his hits could penetrate Ichigo's Hierro. The Hollowfied Shinigami summoned his sword and slowly, mockingly approached his enemy.

Xalec unconsciously took a step back.

He was told that all creatures here were weak and pathetic, but before him stood living proof against that.

He grit his teeth in fury.

"You dare to mock ME!?" He yelled. "I AM XALEC! SERVANT OF ANCIENTS! I will eradicate you scum! Hator urdot dukat tok sejam tikaran bibit MORIS!" He chanted. His tattoos started to glow almost blinding. His claws solidified even more, pulsing with energy. The sand around him started to fly away with each pulse of energy. "I will destroy you in the name of my Masters!"

Ichigo rose his sword into the air. A second later Reiatsu of pure darkness started to escape it.

He slashed down releasing a darkness so deep that it obscured Hueco Mundo's moon.

The Vato Lorde looked at the oncoming wall of black with awe. His arms hung limply at his side.

'Such power.'

Xalec's light was swallowed whole, along with his body, leaving no trace behind.

After his attack silence fell on the battlefield. Not even the wind dared come.

Tia, who witnessed the whole thing, just stared with disbelief at what happened. Ichigo almost effortlessly obliterated his foes. Her mind and body were numb. Former from shock, latter from poison.

'This power… I never imagined it was so vast… No wonder he is so afraid of it.' She thought, looking at his back where his long orange locks fell down his back.

Then he turned to her. Tia's breath caught in her throat. She broke eye contact, not being able to withstand the pressure. She blinked and he was now standing right in front of her, not even a meter apart.

Her eyes strained up, staring at his jaw. She hated to admit it, but she was afraid of him. This was a well know fear. The fear of a superior predator.

She swallowed hard, feeling that her throat and lips as dry as the dessert around them.

Tia saw that he was reaching for her. Her breath hitched as she slammed her eyes shut, expecting the worst.

Much to her surprise instead of killing her. He slid his hand under her knees and back, lifting her up bridal style.

Her eyes shot open. Tia was as stiff as board, but made no attempt to stop whatever he was doing. Not that it would do her any good. She was too weak to resist whatever he had planned.

She was completely at his mercy…again. To say the least that didn't seat well with her.

Ichigo, or rather the one that was using his body now, carried her over to the Alzec's body and surprisingly put her down gently.

He pointed at her then the body. Tia's eyes widened in realization at what he was implying.

"I'm not going to eat that thing!" She protested weakly.

He pointed at her neck and side.

"No." She said firmly. Ichigo made a noise sounding like exasperation and kneeled next to the body. He stabbed his hand in it and ripped out a chunk of meat, moving it close to her face.

Tia tried to turn away, but Ichigo simply stared deeply into her eyes stopping her.

She looked into those bottomless pits of darkness, and knew that she was treading on thin ice. She could sense his annoyance.

Sighing she decided to fold… but on her terms.

"Give me that." She'll be damned if she let that thing feed her, or anyone for that matter. The Hollowfied Shinigami brought her hand up to her face and dropped the meat into it, while still staring at her.

Fighting back disgust Tia bit into it….and almost puked. Normally other Hollow were…manageable. Yes, with shame, she had to admit the feeling of devouring other Hollows was fulfilling. Not to mention the power she received from it.

She could feel that with each bite a bit of her power came back…. It was almost like she was eating… she couldn't even describe what is was. The only thing she knew was it was vile. When she finally finished the first one, much to her despair, Ichigo handed her another one, and another until she was able to stand on her own feet.

Breathing heavily she spat in a very unlady like manner, trying to get rid of the foul taste.

She had looked up at him, and watched as his clean hand moved towards her face. Stiffening she allowed his clawed hand to rest on her cheek. To her surprise he hadn't cut her skin, he just pressed his palm to it. Then using his thumb he slowly wiped the black blood from her lips, causing her to stare at him in shock at this display. He leaned so their faces were only millimeters apart.

Tia had no choice but to stare in those bottomless pits that acted as his eyes.

"Mine." He said in a low guttural rumble. A moment later his mask broke into hundreds of pieces, revealing Ichigo's face.

His eyes rolled back and his knees gave out instantly. Tia managed to catch him before he fell, grunting under his weight.

The disgusting meal might have given her a portion of her strength back, but she was barely able to stand.

She ignored it, as Ichigo's Reiatsu was dangerously low. Even with his wounds somehow healed, it was almost on verge of disappearance.

"Hold on Ichigo… I'll get you out of here." She opened a Garganta, and carried his body there.

The way to the Human World seemed like a dream…. more specify a nightmare. Tia was so weak that she could barely form a decent pathway. She had to concentrate for every step, or they would plunge into the darkness around them.

She cursed herself for eating only an amount that allowed her to stand. If she had more she wouldn't be having problems now. She looked at the Shinigami she was carrying, noticing how deathly pale he was.

Worry instantly filled her heart.

"Just a little bit more…" She said marching forward by sheer force of will. Her body screamed in protest, but she forced it to move. "Don't die Ichigo." She knew that speaking to him was pointless now, but she did it anyways.

She couldn't stop her feelings now either. A man who granted her a second chance, was now on verge of death, and only she could do something about it. She was the part of the reason he was in such a state. If she wasn't around he would never have had to run from Shinigami, and would never have had to go as far as he did to win the battle.

Tia bit her lip, actually drawing blood.

Again someone was suffering because she was too weak.

'It's all my fault.' She felt bitter feelings rise in her chest. 'He should should have let me die… I bring bad luck to those around me…' For some reason that thought stung more than she imagined.

Finally she saw the light at the end of the tunnel.

Revitalized, she picked up the pace walking straight into the air. Realizing her blunder she tried to harden it, but her reserves were depleted.

The ground was coming close fast. Tia did the only thing she could do it this situation.

He wrapped her arms around Ichigo as tightly as she could, and positioned herself in a way that she would hit the ground first.

"Please… don't die Ichigo." She whispered in his ear, before hitting the ground and losing consciousness.

* * *

A/N

Woah that took a while sorry for the horrible wait but my exams were insane this year, I hope you all enjoyed the new version of the Lords of the Dessert, don't forget to leave a review!


	7. Who am I?

Bleach 7

Ichigo slowly came back to his senses. The first thing he felt was exhaustion. Exhaustion so dire that it was a problem opening his eye lids. After few seconds he realized that he wasn't alone.

"….with her…"

"…moron…idiot…"

"….told so…"

Ichigo heard snippets of their conversation, recognizing his friends' voices. Even in his state he caught the nervous slash angry undertones.

Then realization hit him.

Memories came rushing back to him. The training, the escape, the fight….turning into a Hollow. Dread instantly overpowered his weariness.

Ichigo's eyes snapped open with him sitting up suddenly. His action startled the occupants of the room, causing them to gasp, but Ichigo ignored them. He frantically looked around, searching for the one person that was awfully quiet, even more than usual.

To his almost relief he saw her. She was still alive, yet her state made his heart skip a beat, hence almost.

Aside from the numerous cuts and bruises she had a nasty stab wound on her left side. The skin around the wound had a purplish shade which seemed to disappear somehow as the wound mended.

Only then he realized that they were being healed by Inoue.

He laid back, visibly relaxed.

"…So are you going explain this, or just lie down in silence and ignore us?" Shinji said, breaking the awkward silence.

"I'm still pretty tired." Ichigo tried to joke, but when he felt a multitude of glares on him he relented. Taking a deep breath he began. "Where to start….." Ichigo sighed. "Have you told them about Tia?" He asked addressing Ishida, Orihime and Chado.

"We have." Chado replied, looking nervously at Rukia who was glaring daggers at Ichigo.

"Ok good-" He started, but was rudely interrupted.

"Good? GOOD!?" Rukia growled. "Do you have any idea what you have done?!"

"Geeze, don't bite my head off. It's not that big a deal." Ichigo replied passively, irritating her even more. Renji acted quickly grabbing Rukia by her shoulders, preventing her from finishing what Vasto Lodres started.

"Are you aware that hiding a wanted fugitive is treason?" She inquired angrily, while still struggling.

"Yup."

"And that the punishment for treason is death?"

"Yup."

"Are you retreaded?"

"Yu-..no!" Ichigo replied hotly. "Come on Rukia, I couldn't leave her there!"

"I concur. Such a hottie should not be left alone…" Shinji said leering at Tia. "I found my true love…" He mumbled, pissing off Ichigo more that he should've been.

"How can you be so irresponsible! You're a Captain now! The laws apply to you too, or rather especially to you too!" She shouted.

"She needed help, period." Ichigo stated firmly, or as firmly as one could while lying down. "It's not like she was our real enemy after all, Aizen tricked her, she was his victim as much as everyone else."

"Kurosaki are you out of your mind?" Renji asked. "The Soul Society wont care about the why if they catche you hiding her. You will punished, war hero be damned!"

"Yeah, but it still hasn't happened… unless you are gonna rat me out." He replied calmly. "Tell me then, what I was supposed to do with her?"

"Purify her." Rukia replied incredulously.

"It doesn't work that way with Arrancar, you know that… And no I won't kill her." Ichigo started to get little annoyed. "She's a…friend now."

Everyone caught the pause in his voice. Rukia and Orihime stared at him with mouths agape, definitely not liking that he turned his attention to unconscious Arrancar. Even more when his features softened almost unnaturally, when he was staring at her unconscious face.

Orihime and Rukia exchanged a shocked look. In that very instant all alarms bells went off in their heads.

'He can't…' Neither of them dared to finish those thoughts.

Urahara, seeing the venomous looks the ladies were giving Tia, decided to butt into the conversation.

"Ichigo-san might you tell us what caused you to come back from Hueco Mundo in such state?"

"We met some weirdos, nothing I had ever seen before… they were Hollows all right, but…strange." Ichigo tried to explain, but he had a hard enough time wrapping his own head around it. Not to mention that his memories at the end were messy. He swallowed hard, remembering that he lost control over his Hollow once more. "Tia seemed to know more since she was a Vasto Lorde herself."

"So you think that some of them were Vasto Lordes?" Shinji asked.

"No, all six of them were Vasto Lorde without doubt." Ichigo stated.

"YOU FOUGHT SIX VASTO LORDES?!" The whole room exclaimed.

"More like three at the time, since they divided between Tia and me." He replied, rubbing his ears from the sudden rise in volume.

"How the hell'd you defeat them?" Before Ichigo managed to answer this uncomfortable question, a groan came from his right. His head snapped to the side, seeing that Tia was waking up.

Similarly to Ichigo she shot right up, looking around until her eyes meet with Ichigo's. Despite being less visible than in Ichigo's case, relief crept up on Tia's face too.

"You survived…." She mumbled barely audibly. After she made sure that he was breathing, she looked around pausing at the sight of the three Shinigami.

She blinked.

"Should I be worried?" She asked, addressing Ichigo and tensing visibly.

"I'm working on that." He replied. "But we'll deal with that later. Tia I need you to explain what those Hollows were? You seemed to know or feel more."

"It is difficult to put it into words, yet I will try." She closed her eyes, analyzing all that transpired. "We encountered those… creatures by accident at my old hideout, and were immediately attacked by them. They appeared to be Vasto Lordes, incredibly powerful ones at that. Yet they weren't normal Hollows." She paused, trying to a find suitable word.

"What differentiated them so much from ordinary Hollows?" Urahara asked.

"There were… empty, hollow so to speak." Her choice of words caused Shinji to snicker. "Every Hollow's Reiatsu is an amalgamation of thousands of souls, with the most dominant personality being the most noticeable one. Yet in this case there was nothing. It's like they're just husks, empty inside. I never encountered something like that."

"Yeah and those tattoos? Or something that looked like tattoos." Ichigo remembered, missing the quick glance between Urahara and Tessai. "They chanted some gibberish and the tattoo's seemed to move off their bodies and changed into weapons. The one's that had them looked the most human out of all of them. But also had the most…hollow aura, as Tia put."

"Indeed. They seemed to be on a whole other level in comparison to the other three." Tia agreed.

"Yeah, also they were talking about some sort of masters? I wonder what kind of being could tame them?" Ichigo mused sitting back up.

"I heard one of them scream "I am the servant of Ancients"." Tia added. The moment those words left her mouth Urahara and Tessai's heads snapped in each others directions, lighting fast. This time it hadn't gone unnoticed by the rest of the group.

"You know something, don't you?" Ichigo asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Yeah! Why don't I know this!?" Shinji exclaimed. "I love mysteries!"

"This doesn't' concern any of you." Tessai suddenly said. "You said you encountered them by accident, it should stay that way."

"But why!? They are dangerous and we have to do something to stop these Ancients!" Ichigo snapped.

"Yeah, I agree with him." Renji stated, followed by nods from the rest.

Tessai surprised them with tubal laugh.

"What's so funny Tessai?" Shinji asked a vein popping on his forehead.

"There is no living being in Human World, Hueco Mundo, or the Soul Society that can stop the Ancients, with the exception of the Soul King himself." He stated, shocking all gathered. "We'll take care of this, you don't need to worry about it."

"We don't need to worry?! Those ancients might already be somewhere close!" Ichigo exclaimed, standing with ire.

"If they were we'd all be dead by now." Tessai calmly replied. "Urahara-dono, we need to go."

"Yes. Behave while we're gone kids." He smirked waving his fan.

"Oi! I'm older than you!" Shinji yelled.

"Yes, yes, Hirako-san you are a big boy." Urahara mocked. "See ya later!"

The doors snapped behind them, leaving the room in a stunned silence.

"I hate when they do that." Ichigo grumbled."We're gonna have to do some digging on our own. Alright well we'll be in touch guys. Let's head home Tia." Ichigo offered her a hand. Tia hesitantly accepted it feeling numerous gazes on her.

"Are you out of your mind Ichigo?!" Rukia jumped to her feet, shouting in protest. "We're not done here! She is dangerous!"

"Nah, she's been living with me for almost two months and never caused any problems." Ichigo waved off her concerns.

"TWO MONTHS!? Are you mad?!"

"Hey, we let Nel off the hook too…" He started.

"That was different!"

"No, it was exactly the same, even the rank." He told her, silencing her.

"Nel was an Espada!?" She asked surprised, not believing that no one bothered to tell her.

"Yes. Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck was an Espada, and she was my predecessor." Tia informed calmly. Rukia gawked at her then back to Ichigo.

"But… she fought us!" She tried to argue hotly, glaring at Tia.

"I did as well, and I'm not an enemy of the Soul Society anymore." After this was said they all sat in a heavy silence.

"She means that the Soul Society will flip their shit if they found out you are harboring a rouge Arrancar, and an Espada at that." Shinji said in all seriousness.

"Exactly! You can get hurt because of her!" Rukia pointed an accusing finger at Tia. "But YOU don't even care about it do you?" She growled addressing Tia.

"I-" Tia started, but was interrupted.

"-don't give a damn about him!" Rukia interjected. "You're living under his roof, preying off his generosity so you are safe! Leeching off his kindness, and not caring that your very presence causes him to be in mortal danger! Let me spell it out for you! HE can be EXECUTED for hiding you! If you were half of the friend he says you are, you would leave as soon as you get better! How long are you planning on playing this farce!?"

"I mean him nor his family or friends any harm, I promise. And I'm only staying as long as he will… have me." She added after a momentary pause. It was a miracle that she managed to keep her voice still. Tia didn't know why she hesitated on the last part. Maybe it was the memory of a Hollowfied Ichigo laying claim to her…

"Of course you will leech off him as long as this Baka will allow you! Go figure, you Hollows always take everything you can!" Rukia exclaimed, unknowingly hitting a sensitive chord.

Tia frowned remembering Ichigo's words about her kind. But she also felt anger deep within her. This Shinigami has never even met her, yet she was judging her like she was all knowing. Tia couldn't deny Rukia's accusations though, because mostly they were true. She lived and ate at Ichigo's expense, knowing that her presence would cause problems for him, but there was one fundamental mistake that the petty Shinigami made in her statement.

Tia cared about Ichigo.

The admitted realization of that truly hit her while she was carrying him through the Garganta. Every time his Reiatsu fell closer to disappearing, the hole in her heart grew bigger and become more painful. Tia wondered why she needed such an event to make her realize that she cared about the orange haired boy.

She couldn't even describe the feeling when she saw him alive and well. It was almost like she was weightless. She wouldn't dare to utter such a sentence aloud, but if she was honest, she would say that her heart leap in joy.

Taking her silence as sign of defeat, Rukia opened her mouth to continued berating her, yet was forestalled.

"Rukia…" Ichigo said sternly, drawing her attention. Her eyes widened when she had seen his dark scowl. "Shut the hell up."

His growl stunned the group. Never before had he addressed Rukia like that. Yes he told her numerous times to shut up, but never with such an aggressive tone.

"Let's make a few things clear Rukia." Ichigo said coldly. "How and on who I help is none of your business. Second you don't know anything about Tia, so stop talking shit about her because of what she is. I won't stand for it, because nothing you said is remotely true!" Ichigo said hotly to the stunned Shinigami.

"Oi, that's enough Kurosaki!" Renji barked, glaring at Ichigo.

"On no, I'm not done yet! Not so long ago you were in the exact same spot as Tia, yet I never ever would demand anything from you for the time you spent with me. Not once did I ever question why I was helping you, or what the consequences were, when your own brother almost carried out your execution!" He paused taking calming breath. "I'm disappointed in you Rukia. I thought that you of all people would've understood me the most."

Somehow that one sentence hurt more than the whole angry tirade, causing Rukia to look down at her feet.

Renji meanwhile was preparing himself to tackle and beat the shit out of Ichigo, but Shinji interfered before that happened.

"Everyone calm thy tits." He walked between two males. "We get it, you want to keep her." His smile grew when Ichigo blushed. "That's fine. You know the risks, and we won't rat you out, but you will need a really good story for tomorrow's meeting. That rise in Reiatsu hadn't gone unnoticed."

"Thanks Shinji, guys." Ichigo looked around. "I'll come up with something. Let's get going, Tia." The duo started to leave, but Ichigo stopped at the doors and looked over his shoulder. "Sorry for causing you trouble again." He said sincerely, and then left the group in silence.

"I knew this was bad idea from the start." Ishida stated, shaking his head in disapproval. He had been silent since the beginning, quietly observing the exchange. Especially the subtle gestures and looks between Ichigo and Tia. "He's getting attached to her."

His comment electrified the females present.

"I think you're exaggerating, Ishida-kun." Orihime said with a nervous smile. "Kurosaki-kun is like that towards everyone."

"Inoue is right, that moron is way too nice." Rukia instantly supported her, pretty blatantly showing her hand. "I'm sure that he will come to see reason."

Ishida stared blankly at them, making both girls feel more and more uncomfortable. Many things could be said about Uryu Ishida, but not that he lacked perceptiveness and insight.

His calm, analytical mind could easily put the pieces together.

Ichigo was falling for the Arrancar Lady, it was plain as day. Albeit Ichigo wasn't aware of it. Tia on the other hand seemed confused, not sure how to react, but the subtle relief on her usually passive face spoke of at least a drop of concern for her Landlord.

"There might be something to his words." Chado, the other silent party member, said. "But I think his attraction isn't the whole reason he's doing this." He folded his massive arms. "I think he's trying to ease his guilt after killing Aizen."

"But why he would be feeling guilty about that? Aizen was a first class bastard, and the Arrancar were his goons!" Renji exclaimed huffing. "Sometimes I don't get him at all."

"No matter how vile the person was, I doubt that Ichigo would ever enjoy the act killing them." Chado said with conviction. "He's not that kind of person. That's one of the reasons he's trying so hard to help Halibel-san. It's his way of coping with what he did. So don't berate him for showing that kindness to others."

"Whoa nice way of putting it Big Guy." Shinji grinned. "Yeah I think that you nailed it on the head, but four eyes here might have a point here too. I mean I wouldn't be surprised if the two of them hit it off, blondie is such eye candy…"

"Ok musings of a moron aside, what should we do about her?" Rukia asked. "I don't trust her one bit."

"But what we can do? It's not like we can put him on surveillance 24/7" Renji said. "Unless…"

"I guess it's time to enroll to Karakura High again!" Rukia exclaimed, pumping her fist into the air. "And I know just how I'm going to do it!" A sly smirk crept on her face. "I guess that this incident will suffice as good reason to strengthen the surveillance on Karakura Town."

"Awww, wish to be close to your crush?" Shinji mocked.

"Wha-!? I just worry for him, nothing more! We don't know what that Arrancar is thinking of doing to him!" She shouted in outrage.

"And I'm sure that Ichigo is hating every second of it." He remarked with obvious envy.

"WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?!"

Meanwhile in the lab, Urahara and Tessai are staring intently at a computer, the former typing on the keyboard at high speeds.

"Who would have thought that such a coincidence would happen." Urahara mused as he clicked send.

"We both know that there's no such things as coincidence." Tessai replied. "To think that this would go so far so soon… Yet it's impressive they managed to defeat all six of them, including three marked ones."

"Ahhh do you have a feeling that they're not telling us everything? They basically omitted the part where they fought them." Urahara noticed with a small pout.

"I guess that I'll have to prod Ichigo further about it." Tessai rubbed his chin. "We'll have to speed up his training, just in case."

"Especially with the Soul Society snooping around. Wonder what they'll do when they find Tia-san?" Urahara waved his fan. Having very little doubt in his mind that it would happen eventually.

"We know what they will do. The better question is what will Ichigo do?" Tessai smirked.

"We know that too. Hehehe." He chuckled. "Almost like the old days, ehh?"

"Almost. How about we get back and see what the rest are up to?" Tessai proposed.

"Agreed. It's not like we'll get a reply anytime soon anyway." Urahara nodded, standing up.

They walked back to the living room to see quite the hilarious scene. Rukia was being held by Renji, who was visibly winded up from trying to keep her from murdering Shinji. Who was making faces, much to the amusement of the three remaining people.

"Now now let's all take a deep breath and settle down. I'm too poor to afford more new furniture." Urahara chuckled. "So what did we miss?"

He got a quick summary, making him laugh even more.

"Looks like the next few months will be fun." He wiped away an imaginary tear.

"They sure will be!" A voice boomed from behind the closed doors. They slowly slid opened, letting streams of fog inside. The gathered couldn't see anything but a silhouette of the person, because of blinding white light coming from behind that person. "Behold!"

The light dimmed revealing…. Yoruichi!

The audience gasped and then…. burst out laughing. Tessai and Urahara were among the loudest ones.

Yoruichi huffed, puffing out her cheeks. The reason everyone was laughing was her attire. In short it was a Karakura High uniform.

"Hahaha-what hahaha happened to you, Yo haha Yoruichi!" Urahara choked between laughs. "You're a little too old for high school!"

"Grrrrr, Jinta, Ururu enough with the effects!" She snapped. Behind her Ururu turned off the fake fog machine, while Jinta did the same to reflector. "They just don't know how to appreciate true style."

"Oi Tessai, she said style-Gyah!" Urahara said nudging his lifelong friend. Before he was hit by the shoe of this other lifelong friend.

"Mind telling us why you decided to cosplay suddenly, Yoruichi?" Shinji asked, trying hard to sound serious while ogling her.

"I heard most of your conversation about my idiot student, and I decided that keeping an eye on him is a great idea! So I'll be joining his class too!" She put on her best grin.

"….we spoke about that like fifteen minutes ago, when did you get the school uniform?" Renji deadpanned.

"Ara, a girl has to keep a few secrets."

"You wish to keep an eye on him too, Yoruichi-san?" Rukia asked with suspicion.

"Of course! He's my wayward apprentice of course… Besides I'm bored and pestering him at school seems like fun." She grinned.

"Kami protect us, Yoruichi is bored." Urahara stated dramatically, earning himself another shoe to the face.

"Besides it looks like he needs more training." She folded her arms. "Do you find anything out about those strange Vasto Lorde's that beat them up?" She asked addressing Urahara and Tessai.

"Nope." They declined instantly.

"Why I don't believe you?" She asked rhetorically.

"You wound us with your lack of faith, Yoruichi-dono." Tessai lamented.

"You know curiosity killed the cat." Urahara added, making her pout.

"You never tell me anything!" She whined. "Fine! I'll find out myself!" She huffed.

"You sure will." He teased.

* * *

Tia and Ichigo walked back home in a semi-uncomfortable silence. Ichigo was still fuming over what happened, while Tia fought against herself.

**'Ti-chan that the dumbest idea you've had in a really long time!'** Tiburon protested vehemently.** 'You can't just leave things like that!'**

'I have to… despite the way that female Shinigami said it, she was essentially right. I am potentially a danger to him and his family.' Tia replied sadly. 'I've lived at his expense, not pulling my own weight… I should have known that such thing could not last. I need to disappear from his life.'

**'You really think that he wants you gone? Just ask him dammit!'** She urged.

'I know his answer. Ichigo is probably the most honest man I ever met, and would never turn anyone down… That's why I need to go silently. I've caused enough havoc in his life.' Tia felt a lump grow in her throat.

**'Just look at yourself! Even thinking about it makes you miserable! Get your damn head out of your ass Tia! Thanks to him you speak more than twice a day. Hell you even smile and feel happy! You just want to leave that behind?! How stupid you are!?'**

'I don't want to!' She spat, growing aggravated. 'I have to, for his and his family's sake.'

**'Have you even thought for a second what your actions would do to him!? Whether you like it or not, you two have bonded! Are you willing to sever it so easily!? To show him that he doesn't even matter!'**

'This discussion is over.' Tia said coldly.

**'You're making a worse mistake than trusting Aizen…'** Tiburon argued, but Tia muted her, too tired to fight with her.

"Are you alright Tia?" Ichigo suddenly asked.

"I am." She replied a little too fast.

"Rukia didn't mean it. She gets overexcited sometimes, and babbles crap from time to time." He told her. "So don't take offense or anything, ok?"

Tia just nodded, not trusting her words at the moment.

'You just have to make it harder, don't you Ichigo?' Tia mused, trying to look indifferent. She felt his each and every worried glance.

Tia needed to leave this night. Any more time with him and his family, and she would be unable to do so.

Steeling herself she marched with Ichigo to her… home.

If Tia was honest with herself, she would admit that she was a good actor. Despite her inner turmoil she hid all her feelings well. No one seemed to notice anything off, or even hints of her intention.

Just like that, she lasted til that evening, when everyone was in bed.

While lying in bed she had her usual nightly chat with Ichigo. She once jokingly called it pillow talk among his friends, causing most of them to gasp in shock/ terror with Orihime fainting out right.

Later they explained what usually preceded said pillow talk, causing Tia to blush fully for the first time in her life.

She felt her lips twist into a smile as she recalled that, and many other memories made with them.

She listened to Ichigo's steady breathing longer than she should have. She turned to the side, facing him.

'Need to check if he's truly asleep.' She rationalized, but ended up staring at him for a while.

The time she spent with the young Shinigami was unquestionably the most enjoyable experience of her entire life.

The Kurosaki family quickly became her own family. Sweet Yuzu and tomboyish Karin already started to affectionately call Tia big sister. Something the Arrancar Lady gladly accepted and returned twice fold, having fun with Ichigo's younger siblings.

Isshin, despite his goofy and often inappropriate behavior, became her confidant. Offering useful tips and advice when she was lost. She hadn't dared to use the term father figure… yet.

'Probably never going to.' She thought bitterly. Her thoughts finally lead her to the person she wanted, yet dreaded to think about at the same time.

Just who Ichigo was to her?

She gripped the sheets tighter, trying her hardest not to think about it.

'It's time.' She finally decided. She silently got out of bed, and navigated around Ichigo's futon. She spared one last look at his sleeping face. In the spur of moment she decided to kneel at his side. She leaned down, gently brushing his hair from his forehead.

'What am I doing?' She thought numbly, as she pressed her lips to his forehead, gently kissing it.

Flushed, she silently left the room and went for the clothes she prepared earlier. Unaware that the sleeping boy let the breath out he was holding.

The moment the door closed behind Tia, Ichigo let out a quiet gasp, blushing like a madman. His heart was beating wildly, almost causing him to burst a vein.

'Oh God, oh God, oh God.' He thought in a panic, with comically wide eyes. 'She kissed me!'

He blushed even more, still feeling the heat from her warm soft lips on his forehead.

_'Ichigo is this the time to dwell on such things?'_ Zangetsu suddenly spoke. _'I believe you need pursue her.'_

'Should I? I mean it's not like I can force her to stay…' He thought dejectedly.

**'Oooh, but I can.**' Hichigo interjected.** 'We saved her naughty ass, what, two times now? She owes us.'**

'I didn't saved her for any benefits!' Ichigo snapped.

**'You're pathetic letting such a catch slip away!'** He spat with disgust.

_'Ichigo, what the victim of over bleaching-'_ Zangetsu started.

**'Hey!'**

_'-is trying to say is that if you want her to stay, you should do everything in your power to convince her to stay. Only then will you have no regrets over her departure.'_ His zanpakuto told him wisely. '_That is, if you really want her to stay with you?'_

Ichigo paused, thinking about what he just heard… No no more thinking, he acted. He quickly got up, almost running down stairs, cautious to not wake up anyone. He put his shoes on and crossed the threshold of his house… running into Isshin.

"Woah! Dad!" He gapsed surprised.

"Eh eh eh less talking, more chasing. She went that way." He pointed to the left with a grin. "Now go or the fish will escape the net."

Ichigo nodded with a slight blush, and ran where his Father directed. Luckily for him Tia hadn't made it far. Yet he almost stumbled when he saw her.

Even in night lamps she looked like someone had drained life from her. Her shoulders were slumped, with her head hung down. She was walking sluggishly, almost forcing her legs to move.

"Tia! Wait up!" Ichigo exclaimed, literally making her jump. She turned around, surprise written all over her face. He would have found it funny, but sadly the situation was anything but funny.

"You could've told me you wanted to go on a night stroll." Ichigo said jokingly, trying to ease the awkward mood.

"Please don't make this any harder for me…. than it already is." Tia said, adding the last part inaudibly.

"Why?" He asked with a heavy sigh. "Is it because of what happened with Rukia? Or before when I turned…." He gulped. "I didn't hurt you did I?" The young Shinigami prayed to whatever deity for that to not be true.

"No, you have not harmed me. You saved me in fact." She looked to her feet. "And yes, the exchange with Rukia-san made me see things clearly… I cannot stay with you or your family anymore…Ichigo." Every word she said felt like a hot coal coming up her throat. "I need to go." She already made the turning motion.

"Wait!" Ichigo shouted, stopping her. "You don't need to do this, Tia! You can stay as long as you want!"

"Why don't you understand…" Her voice was aloof, drained. "This isn't about me. I'm a danger to you and your family, if the Soul Society discovers me, you will all suffer…."

"Can you just stop throwing yourself on the sword for once?" Ichigo took a few steps forward. "Don't you want to be happy for a change?" He eyed her, while she still refused to meet his eyes. "What do you think will happen when Yuzu and Karin suddenly lose their big sis?"

Tia bit her lip, almost drawing blood. That was a low blow. He was very aware of her soft spot for them.

"Stop… just stop Ichigo, I've made my decision!" She snapped harshly, turning around and marching with an angry vigor.

The orange haired boy caught up to her in a few steps and grabbed her wrist. In the past she would break it for such boldness. Probably adding a savage kick to punish the offender.

But right now, she stood still with one arm arched back.

"I'm not done yet." Ichigo said sternly. "You're not thinking clearly Tia, you're making a mistake."

"I thought it through thoroughly enough. Unhand me." She ordered, but without much conviction.

"You obviously have not. Look how miserable you are now!" He said hotly, frowning. "You are happy living with my family and me, don't deny it." His statement was met with silence. "In the beginning you almost never spoke or smiled, but now… you've changed Tia, for the better. You smile more often and even seek to know other people at school! You want to leave all of that behind!?" He almost shouted.

Tia gritted her teeth, still not looking at Ichigo. Tiburon's smug laugh hadn't helped either. He almost parroted her words.

"Tia… I don't want to sound all knowing about your feelings…." He said tenderly. During his previous speech his hand moved from her writs to her hand. He gave it gentle squeeze. "But I see that you're happy… and I want you to continue to be happy… with m-us." He blushed at his slip up.

Tia looked at the night sky with a faraway look.

Her resolve basically melted. Everything he said was true. Her… she hadn't dared to use the word heart, but the emotional part of her brain screamed at her to give into these feelings, and turn back.

Ichigo's warm hand holding hers hadn't helped either.

"Who…" She breathed turning back to look Ichigo straight in the eyes. "Just who I am to you…Ichigo." She said softly.

The way she looked at him, caused his cheeks to grow deep red. Her eyes had a sort of longing in them. Ichigo wasn't sure if she was aware of the look she was giving him. The traitorous part of his mind told him that her lips looked longing too.

He gulped thinking about answer. Tia was his friend, he was sure of that, a dear friend in fact. She understood his motivations and goals well, since they actually shared a lot of them. She also knew of his fears of losing to his Hollow self. He hadn't shared that with any of his friends yet. While he knew they would do everything to make him feel better, he also knew that they wouldn't truly understand what it meant to lose one self.

Yet there was this lingering feeling in his mind. In the very dark corner of his mind, a thought formed that Tia might be more than just a friend to him.

If Ichigo was honest with himself he might have realized it sooner. All the times that she made him laugh with her dry sense of humor or deadpan statements. Every time she smiled or even gave her own very rare laugh made him feel happy, proud even, that he caused such a thing. All the time they spent together, with the moments they shared should've opened Ichigo's eyes.

Yet, being as dense as he was, he dismissed all the signs, treating it as a close friendship.

One could say that he unconsciously friend-zoned Tia.

"You're a friend Tia, a dear friend." He finally choked out, blushing. "I care about you, and I want you to stay."

Tia looked at him, feeling her cheeks grow slightly warm. She felt much more light after his declaration. All her previous misery and gloom seemed to go away. She could feel the corner of her lips lift slightly.

Despite being rough and blunt as a hammer, Ichigo was able to be a very sweet person.

Tia almost chuckled at that thought, but there was one thing that was bugging her.

Why she felt slightly disappointed?

What did she really want to hear? Shaking her head, she dismissed those thoughts. Coming back to reality she gave Ichigo a warm smile.

"Thank you." She uttered softly. "Thank you for giving me a home." She said sincerely and genuinely happy.

"You're welcome Tia, now let's get back to it. Tomorrow is school day after all." Ichigo smiled, turning around and heading home with Tia closely in toe. Till the very threshold of their home, their hands never parted.

The duo was unaware that the pair of golden eyes trailing their every more.

To say their the owner wasn't pleased would be the understatement of century.

* * *

Slightly shorter chapter, I figured you need a break after the Lords, still get ready for some Soul Society/ School madness next time! Stay tuned and

Review&amp;Review!


	8. Too much work

The last day of school was quite a drag for Ichigo and Tia. Due to their previous night's activities both of them were deathly tired. Not to mention neither actually got sleep. So they ended up just chatted till morning.

The large dark bags under their eyes being proof of that.

Of course this caused a literal wave of gossip, about what they were doing all night.

Ichigo snapped to another student, giving him a look. The lack of sleep, constant glances and whispers started to wear on him.

Deep in thought he missed the announcement of two new transfer students who would arrive Monday.

To make matters worse after school he had to go to the Soul Society. First and foremost to give a report about the recent occurrence, secondly Hachi texted him about his squad.

After two months the Kido Corps were finally reassembled.

Ichigo sighed. His free weekends had permanently ended, but he guessed that it wasn't all bad. The pay was quite good, so he could treat it as a job. While he still hadn't had any idea how the Soul Society acquired human world cash, he wouldn't look in a gift horse in the mouth.

The bell finally rang, indicating that classes were finally over. They bid farewells their friends and went home.

After dinner Ichigo went to Urahara's to leave his body, while Tia accompanied him.

"Do you remember everything Ichigo?" Tia asked.

"Yes I think so. They won't suspect a thing." Ichigo replied. Because of the incident with the Vasto Lordes they had to come up with a plausible explanation, which would satisfy Soul Society and hide Tia's presence at the same time. They brainstormed every possible question that might be asked, and worked out the smallest details earlier that day.

"Over confidence can be dangerous Ichigo. Try to be as sincere as possible while omitting certain facts. If you have to lie try to mask them within the confusion of battle frenzy." Tia instructed.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I'm not that bad at lying." Ichigo crossed his arms, pretending to not see the blank look Tia was giving him.

"Just be cautious with your words, Ichigo." Tia warned. "For your own sake."

"You know it's not my sake that I'm concerned about." He looked into her teal eyes.

"Just be careful." Tia sighed trying to not think about recent events.

"Got it."

The duo made the rest of the way in a comfortable silence. They greeted the shop dwellers, and Ichigo left for the Soul Society. Tia alone stayed with his body.

**'You know, chances like these don't happen often.'** Tiburon mused.

'What do you mean?' Tia asked in exasperation, feeling a headache coming already.

**'Oh you know, there's just a handsome young MALE body just lying around. You could sneak a peek at what he's packing without anyone knowing.'** Tiburon chirped.

'A peek at what exactly?' She almost dreaded to ask.

**'Oh don't play innocent. I know how you look at him when he's in his boxers. Haven't you never wondered what's under the-.'** Tia quickly muted her perverted, and totally not right, Hollow. Leaving the room with speed that could be considered inhuman.

She took a minute to chase away the slight blush on her face, before heading toward the living room. Inside Urahara and Ururu enjoyed their tea.

"Urahara-san I have a matter I wish to discuss with you… or rather a request." Tia said politely.

"Please sit, would you like a cup of tea?" Tia nodded. "Ururu please go make our guest some tea."

"So Halibel-san, how may I help you?" He asked with a smile.

"I would like to find a job." Tia stated, surprising him. He hadn't expected this from her.

"Oh? Why the sudden interest in finding employment? As far as I'm know Ichigo's financial situation is better than ever." He chuckled.

"That's irrelevant. I do not wish to remain dead weight." She told him. Ururu came back and served tea. Before any one spoke, both of them took a sip.

"Does this sudden motivation have anything to do with Rukia-san's outburst?" He asked, shaking his head.

"Indeed. Despite the way Rukia-san put it, she was essentially right. I am living at his expense, without offering anything in return." She closed her eyes. "This cannot stand."

'Oh I believe that you're giving more than you think.' He hid his smile behind his fan. "I see. So what can you do?"

"Pardon me?"

"I mean what are your skills? I need to know to find you a fitting job." He clarified, feeling that this would be harder than he expected.

"I am proficient with a sword, and hand to hand combat." She replied, but seeing Urahara's falling expression she guessed that that didn't amounted to much in the human world.

"Ok, unless you want to lead a dojo, we have a problem." He said, before taking a moment to think. "Maybe a model? You centrality have all the qualifications, in spades." He grinned.

"I do not wish to draw any attention to myself, Urahara-san." She replied, but that was only a half truth. Her pride wouldn't allow her to act as human sideshow, living to entertain the crowd.

"Hmm true. We need to find you something quiet." He rubbed his chin. "You know what? I'll call you when I think of something, okay?"

"Much obliged, Urahara-san." Tia gave him a short bow, before getting up.

"One more thing if I may, Halibel-san." He asked, stopping her. "Mind answering me one question?"

She nodded.

"How did you defeat those Vasto Lordes?" He inquired, dropping the carefree façade. "Or rather, how did Ichigo?"

"What do you mean?" She mentally sighed.

"Halibel-san, I know that you didn't beat those Vasto Lorde's just like that. I have surveillance systems in Hueco Mundo, and I received some mighty disturbing readings… So my question is, why did Ichigo's Reiatsu turn 100% Hollow?"

"Urahara-san I believe that you should ask Ichigo about this." Tia replied politely. "It's not my place to tell his secrets."

"Oh, so he wants it to keep it a secret?" Urahara pressed. Tia kicked herself mentally for spilling that inadvertently. "Halibel-san I only want what's best for him."

"I do not want to seem ungrateful for the help you're providing. I'll try to convince Ichigo to bring this matter to you… however that's all I'm willing to do, I apologize."

"You do not need to apologize for being a good friend, Halibel-san, I know we don't know each other that well, but trust me when I say that I, and the rest, are concerned for his well-being. So let me rephrase my question. Should we be concerned about this?"

Tia closed her eyes, recalling the raw and primal power Ichigo was emitting. The savageness of his Reiatsu…the surprising gentleness when he touched her face.

"He's still Ichigo." She told him with conviction.

"Hmm... I see. Then try to convince him to tell me the whole story please." Urahara nodded. "I might be able to help him somehow."

"I will do my best."

"Oh I'm sure of that. He's gonna melt like butter." Urahara chuckled.

Tia frowned not liking that innuendo.

* * *

_Soul Society,_

Ichigo walked out of the Sekaimon, stepping onto the white pavement of the Soul Society. He took a deep breath of fresh air. If there was one thing about this place he loved, it was the absence of any pollution, just clean air. The sun was setting, yet the place was still quite crowded with Shinigami moving about in all directions.

"Welcome Ichigo-san." Hachi greeted him with a smile.

"Yo Hachi, how have you been?" He asked, returning it.

"I'm fine, thank you. I guess you must be anxious to see your new HQ?" He said with a chuckle, seeing the anticipation on Ichigo's face.

"You bet I am. Since I can't get out of this, I'll have to make best of what I have. I have to remember to invite Renji, he'll blow up his top from envy." Ichigo grinned evilly, making Hachi sweat drop.

"I see. You will also have to attend tomorrow's meeting, to explain what happened yesterday." He told him, concern on his face.

Ichigo grunted something incoherent under his breath. Seeing that Ichigo still wasn't used to being under a command, Hachi changed the subject to talk of the Kido Corps.

He explained to the young Captain the role the Kido Corps had in the Soul Society before their dissolution. Which was actually quite vast. From maintaining the barrier protecting the Sereitei, to general building maintenance.

"So how many men are under my command?" Ichigo asked.

"Currently one hundred twenty eight." He replied.

"I guess it's not much." He replied.

"No, before the squad numbered over seven hundred, but it has been over a century. Some passed on, others are not comfortable with coming back, while others... well they're gone." He said with a sigh.

'What do you mean gone?" He pressed.

"Let's say that they weren't satisfied with the treatment of the original Kido Corps, and went rouge. Never to be heard from again."

"Damn…" Ichigo patted Hachi's shoulder. "I'll do my best to bring the Kido Corps back to its former glory."

"I'm sure you will be a great leader one day, Ichigo." He smiled.

"One day?" Ichigo narrowed his eyes, causing Hachi to laugh.

"Yes, one day. After you learn all the regulations by heart, master kido spells, and…" He enumerated, having problems with keeping a straight face, seeing that with every prerequisite Ichigo's face fell. " ….oh looks like we're here."

Ichigo's jaw hit the floor with a loud thud, while he drank in the view. A massive obsidian black building, with a crimson red roof stood before him. The main building resembled a fortress, with small windows and slanting lower parts of the outer walls. The building itself was seven stories high, even from where they were standing, Ichigo could feel power emitting from the building. Around it were smaller wooden buildings, with gardens and ponds around them.

When Ichigo finally regained the ability to speak, he uttered one word.

"Wow."

"Magnificent, isn't it?" Hachi's smile widened when he saw the wonder in Ichigo's eyes.

"I still can't believe it… this's my HQ?... It's so different…" Ichigo

"So you can feel it… good. The power you are feeling is the defense spells intertwined in the very essence of these walls. They were created by the very first Captain of the Kido Corps. They are absolute masterpieces of Kido art. I've tried to strengthen some of them, but my level of Kido is nowhere near enough to even begin. Tessai-san could probably fix this up… but even now these walls could survive a blast from Captain Soi-Fon's Bankai, with no more than a scratch. The Captain Commander is probably the only one who could break them." He finished, inviting Ichigo inside.

"What was the name of first Kido Captain?" Asked Ichigo, curious about the founder of the Kido Corps. Hachi looked at him, and something in his eyes told him that he wouldn't like the answer.

"I don't know his name. That knowledge is limited only to the Captain Commander, and the Kido Captain. The names of Kido Captains are always erased from the records."

"Why?"

"Because names hold power, Ichigo-san. Especially within these walls. the majority of the Kido you've witnessed up until now is no more than bastardized versions of the originals." Hachi told Ichigo seriously.

"Bastardized versions?" Hachi let out a long sigh.

"If I started explaining it to you, you would be late for the tomorrow's meeting." He stated. "I will show you the way to your office. There is some paperwork to be done." He answered.

"I thought you took care of that?" Ichigo felt a small amount of dread at the prospect of doing paper work.

"Like I said, you need to learn a lot of things still. Including how to properly file a report, and understating what each document means." He explained. "To have a functional squad, the administrator has to be efficient, and the Captain is the head of administration. The role of Captain is not only leading his or her squad to battle, but also providing them with basic needs and supplies.

"If you put it that way…" Ichigo rubbed his neck, suddenly realizing that the well-being of over one hundred men and women depended on him. 'No pressure at all.'

"Don't worry Ichigo, I'll be here to teach you everything. Besides I already dealt with the most pressing matters. We'll slowly include you in the process, until you will are able to do everything on your own."

"Thanks, I would be a goner without your help." His said sincerely.

"You flatter me. Now let's continue our tour." Hachi motioned for Ichigo to come inside.

The insides were just as marvelous as the outside. The floor was made of black marble, with small white veins. While the walls were made of white marble. All were completed with red ornaments of various kinds, and images on the wall with some kanji.

They passed a gigantic room with high bookcases, yet all of them were empty.

"Why are the bookcases empty?" Ichigo asked.

"After Aizen's betrayal, and the disbanding of our squad, almost all of our books and scrolls were taken by the 12th Division. Mayuri Kurotsuchi orchestrated it, since their Division is the research department. They needed all knowledge that could get. Sadly Central 46 agreed with their reasoning." He finished bitterly.

"Don't worry Hachi, we'll get them back." He gave Hachi a reassuring smile.

After walking through various corridors, Hachi and Ichigo stood in front of massive three meter tall, black doors, with some strange flower insignia which Ichigo didn't recognize.

"Oi Hachi, what's that?" He pointed at the doors.

"Those are the doors to your office." He replied politely.

"That too, but I meant what's the insignia mean?" Ichigo clarified.

"That, Ichigo-san, is your squad's insignia. The flower of the Rhododendron represents danger." Ichigo waited for him to continue. "You see it has a dual meaning. Firstly, it represents the power of Kido itself, and its destructive potential. Second, is that it is dangerous to the user, and you have to wield it with extreme caution." He winked to Ichigo, earning a scowl.

"Many great Kido users died because of foolish experiments with it." His face grew serious. "Ichigo let me give you a warning. Never play with this power, because it might cost you your life." Ichigo gulped and nodded. "Good, and as you probably noticed, the previous Captains' had a weak spot for black. Therefore that is the color your division, now come on." Hachi snapped his fingers, and the massive doors opened, revealing a simply fantastic office.

Like the corridors, the floor was made of black marble, but this one was pure, showing no white, the same with the walls. The lines of columns stood proudly near the walls, sustaining the ceiling. Between them stood wooden bookcases filled with books and scrolls. In front of the doors was a big panoramic window, letting the rays of the sun inside. Under it stood a desk with a matching chair. The desk was a masterpiece of art.

It was made of dark wood, and was quite big. The old cravings and various seals, made the desk both elegant and functional. The chair was made in a similar fashion. All in all the room looked more like a throne room, with all that splendor, but all of this escaped Ichigo's notice. His eyes were glued to the table... or rather what was on it and around it.

"Y-You said you left the most essential ones." Ichigo whispered meekly, when he saw the mountain of paper work.

"I did, but reestablishing the whole squad takes a ridiculous amount of paper work. I guess what you see is roughly ten percent of it."

"From now on you have my permission to sign everything you want in my absence." Ichigo choked, paling at the thought of doing it. School work was suddenly so much more appealing to him.

"I told you that you have much to learn." He smirked. "We will do some of it today and tomorrow we will visit the Shinigami Academy for some fresh blood. Finally you will go to Captain's meeting, and tell them a believable story about what happened in Hueco Mundo. I hope you and your uh friend came up with good excuse."

Ichigo opened and closed his mouth few times, feeling his stomach twist nastily.

"Rest assured, I know this from Urahara-san and Tessai-san. Shinji confirmed it, the Soul Society just have some blurry readings and nothing more. No need to worry."

"You're not angry that I didn't tell you?" He asked surprised.

"That's the point of secrets after all. If everyone knows it's not a secret at all." He smirked, then he did few hand seals. "Sound barrier." He replied shortly. "So tell me more about this Arrancar of yours."

Ichigo told him about their meeting, and what followed after that.

"You like her don't you?" Hachi stated with a sly smile, causing Ichigo to blush madly and splutter his words like bullets.

"What? No! She's only a friend, nothing more, yeah." Ichigo nervously rubbed his neck

"There is nothing wrong with it." He smiled gently. "You're young."

"That has nothing to do with it! Tia and I are friends, that's it." Ichigo said defensively, managing to contain his blush.

"Oh. So she's not your type?"

"No! I mean, yes!... Oh hell." He face palmed, blushing again.

"Ohh… ok. I won't pressure you anymore, but here's some advice from someone older. Life's too short for being indecisive. If you like her, just tell her." He put his large hand on the teen's shoulder.

"It's not that easy, I….. Can we start doing the paper work?" He almost pleaded.

"Let's."

* * *

_Human World_

When Tia came back from Urahara's she found the Kurosaki house almost empty. Isshin had an evening shift, while Karin was hanging out with her friends from Soccer Club. Leaving her and Yuzu alone in the house.

But Tia didn't mind.

While she wouldn't say it out loud, she absolutely adored Yuzu, and loved spending time with her. Her pure innocence and naivety was very refreshing. Not to mention the young girl was surprisingly skilled in all types of house chores. Skills that she gladly shared with Tia.

The worst part of it all were all the lies she had to tell her, about her life, previous school, and 'friends'.

"Did you really have a chauvinist in a class?" Yuzu gasped.

"Yes, but most of us thought he was homosexual." She smiled. "He even had a lackey that never left his side, even for a moment."

"And what about your friends, Mila Rose, Apacci, and Sun-Sun?" Tia visibly saddened. "You miss them, don't you?"

"You have no idea how much." She said melancholic.

Yuzu looked puzzled for a moment, it was just a transfer student program.

"It's not like you won't see each other ever again... right?" She asked a little worried.

"Of course... we still email each other." Tia gave her a very believable fake smile. "Would you like to go to a walk with me?" She attempted to change the touchy subject.

"I would love to Tia-nee, but I have tons of homework for Monday." Yuzu said a little dejected. "Our teachers are crazy."

"Oh... maybe next time." Tia replied.

"Definitely!"

Tia dressed for her walk. She had light blue jeans, a black T-shirt, a same colored jean jacket, and a pair of black shoes.

When she was set, she said goodbye to Yuzu and left the house. She didn't have anything special planned, so she just wandered around the city.

Surprisingly her aimless wandering took her to the last place she would have expected. It was the fateful park where she stumbled in her near death state. She recognized the gates, and felt that she needed to go there. She faintly recalled walking this path, and soon found herself standing before the tree where Ichigo found her.

During the winter the tree was lifeless, but now it had blossomed with thousands pink petals, gently swaying on the wind.

What would happen if Aizen hadn't cut me down?' She mused. Would she have been able to meet Ichigo if things went differently. She moved closer, caressing the rough surface of the old trunk. 'I need to bring Ichigo here one day.'

She closed her eyes, enjoying the moment, when suddenly she heard faint weeping. She moved closer to the source of the sound, figuring the crying belonged to a child.

After getting through the wild bushes she found the child. It was a small boy, no older than six, with messy dark hair, brown eyes, and…. a severed Soul Chain right in the middle of his chest.

The child noticed her and stumbled back, looking at her with wide scared eyes

"It's ok little one. I won't hurt you." Tia said gently.

"Where is my mommy?" He asked tearfully.

"I don't know where she is. Do you remember how you got here?" She asked tenderly. The boy thought for a moment.

"I was going with my mommy and daddy to my aunty's. We were in the car…but…suddenly..." The boy started to cry again. "...everything was black…and mommy was screaming…and I woke up here." Tia took the child in her arms, and hugged him. The boy wrapped his arms around her, and cried into her chest. She started to sway him gently.

"Shhhh, it's ok." She continued until he calmed. "So how about I help you find your parents?" She asked.

"You're going to help me?" The child perked up with hope.

"Sure." The kid smiled, and hugged her tighter.

"Thank you! Miss…"

"Tia."

"Miss Tia-oneechan" Tia rose an eyebrow, but smiled.

"What's your name little one?" She asked.

"Egao."He replied. Tia's smile widened. "That's a good name." She closed her eyes, and extended her senses to locate the souls of his parents. Judging by his energy, the accident happened recently, so the trail was still fresh. After few seconds she found what she was looking for, and something more. She sensed a Reiatsu... one that belonged to a Hollow.

"I found your parents, but we have to hurry." She told him.

"Why?" He asked confused.

"Because we might miss them." She lied smoothly.

"Ok let's go!" He urged her, impatient to see his parents. Tia began to run.

"Hold on." Egao hugged her tightly. Tia reached her full speed. Despite being a perfect copy of a human body, it was enhanced so she was several times stronger and faster than normal humans.

She ran as fast as she could to the opposite side of the park.

When Tia reached the place she found gigantic Hollow, looking like a cross between a Hippo and Chameleon. It had four short, fat legs, and it's mask looked like a Chameleon's head, with independent eyes looking in different directions. The Hollow was all gray, except its white mask.

And it was having fun.

Two other souls, male and female one were being messed with by it. The Hollow could finish them off at any time, but it obviously took pleasure with toying with its victims.

"Mommy! Da-" The boy tried to shout, but Tia covered his mouth with her hand.

"Shhh. Stay here. I'll go help them, but do not make a sound, ok?" Tia said quite sternly. The boy nodded.

She put the boy on the ground.

Taking a deep breath she jumped forward, clenching her fist. The second she was upon the Hollow she slammed her fist right into the middle of its face mask. The Hollow was so surprised by the sudden assault, that it lost its balance and fell to the side.

"Go! Your son is that way!" She pointed in Egao's direction. Both souls ran, not bothering with questions. After all being chased by a monster you took whatever help you could.

"Oww! That hurt you bitch!" The Hollow grumbled. "And now my meal ran away! Guess who's gonna be one in their stead!"

He lunged at her, but Tia just jumped out of the way. The Hollow wasn't without tricks though, and he opened his mouth and shot out an abnormally long tongue. It caught Tia around her ankle.

'Oh hell.' She thought, before the Hollow slammed her into the ground. The tongue stared to slowly retreat, dragging Tia towards it mouth.

Tia reached into her inner pocket going for a Soul Candy. She would have to do this quick, before anyone noticed.

Luckily for her something happened before she could eat it. A blue arrow flew from the bushes, and vaporized the Hollow.

Tia spat out the dirt that got into her mouth, and wiped the mud from her face.

"What were you doing here?" Ishida asked, not even bothering to help her up. Tia stood up before looking at her ruined clothes, feeling rather annoyed.

'I liked these ones.' She tried to dust herself off. "I was helping to save a recently deceased family."

"Is that so?" He inquired coldly. Tia's head snapped up, giving Ishida a glare.

"What is that supposed to mean?" She asked neutrally, putting her emotionless back mask on.

"Weren't you fighting over a meal?" He asked acidly, glaring at her.

Tia clenched her jaw.

"Not even once have I consumed a human's soul, Quincy." She spat. Out of all Ichigo's friends Ishida Uryuu was the one who treated her the worst. Not to say that he was rude or anything, but compared to him Captain Hitsugaya's ice was warm. Tia had long abandoned any idea of befriending him, and simply went with the flow interacting with Quincy as little as possible. "I don't see why you persist with your constant hostility towards me."

"It's because you are a soul eating monster." He told her calmly, without an ounce of regret. She felt fury build up inside her, but remained calm.

"I'm aware of exactly who I am, Ishida-san." She replied in an even tone. "Yet I never asked to become a Hollow. It was forced upon me."

He had no response for that.

"But you… your hate for my kind exceeds even that of some Shinigami… It's personal isn't it? You lost someone to my kind, haven't you?" Judging by Ishida's expression, she hit the nail on the head.

"I have no obligation to tell you." He replied coldly.

"You judge me without even bothering to known me. What's more not even telling me the reason for it." Tia crossed her arms. "I never done any harm to you or your friends, I deserve an explanation."

"You deserve it?" Ishida replied incredulously.

"Yes I do. I've been living here for over two months now, and I haven't harmed anyone, but…" Tia walked closer to him. "If I was half the monster you think I am, I would have by now, and only Ichigo would be able to stop me." She said harshly, surprising the young Quincy with her ferocity. "What say we let's cease this pointless discussion, and get to the source of your problem with Hollows."

"My problems with Hollows? No, my problem right now is with you. I don't trust you! You act human, you pretend to be one of us, even going as far as fooling Ichigo, and you expect me to just be ok with it?!" He snapped.

"Hasn't it occurred to you that some part of me might still be human?" She asked in a dangerously quiet voice. "That I too might desire happiness, and a life filled with more than just bloodshed and war? Or is it so hard to believe that a Hollow might want to be human again?"

After her angry outburst, a silence fell between the two.

"Hollows killed my Grandfather before my very eyes." Ishida finally said. "And Shinigami intervened only after they were certain it was too late." His eyes were burning with rage.

Tia closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"I understand the hate you feel for my kind." She rose her hand, preventing his inevitable reply. "I've lost those I cared about too, and I know it leaves a hole in your heart…" She pushed her own painful memories away. "But if you let that hole grow, it will devour you entirely. Making you no better than the Hollows you hunt."

"How would you know? You're one of them! You should have no heart!" He shouted.

"That's exactly why I know." She replied, looking him dead in the eyes. "The emptiness of our existence after we become Vasto Lordes, I would not wish it upon anyone…"

"Then how do you fill that hole?" He pressed, his tone losing the previous bite.

"Some fill it with blood and violence. Others with power and knowledge, and some with…." She paused thinking about the correct way to express herself. "...companionship." She said, looking away suddenly abashed. Purely by accident a certain orange haired boy crossed her mind when she said these words.

"Companionship? What do you…." He just needed one look at her expression to gain clarity. Clarity so painful that it almost make him face palm. "You've got to be kidding me."

"Excuse me?" She asked, snapping out of her thoughts.

"Ok, I think I may have misjudged you." He said slowly, making Tia blink.

"Thank you…?" She replied slowly.

"Exactly what kind of companionship are you seeking from Ichigo." He asked carefully, studying her face.

What he had seen there disturbed him more that he would like to admit to himself.

For a fraction of second he had seen an emotion he thought Hollows were incapable of feeling.

Longing.

'I thought Nel was the only one…' A thought passed through his mind. 'But does she really like him in the way I'm thinking?'

"He's a friend, if that's what you're asking. That's all." She replied in an aloof manner.

"Yeah…. that's exactly what I'm asking." Ishida said a little awkwardly. Again silence fell between the two.

Ishida sighed.

"I guess I owe you an apology for my recent, and previous, behavior." He admitted. "You've given me new…insight on a few matters." He rubbed his neck awkwardly. "I won't pretend that I'm content with the idea of befriending an Arrancar…but I will try to…reach an understanding with you."

"I ask nothing more." She nodded.

"Have a good evening." He replied with a tiny amount of warmth and left, leaving Tia alone once again.

'I wonder what he meant when he said I fooled Ichigo.' Tia mused.

**'Here's a better question. How are you going to get back home unnoticed in those clothes?**' Tiburon pointed out.

'Great.' She thought dryly.

* * *

**Soul Society – The Next Day,**

Ichigo and Hachi walked towards the academy, with the former looking like he'd gone to hell and back.

"It was only a bit of paper work Ichigo, not need to be dramatic." Hachi chuckled.

"We spent six hours filing documents, six freaking hours!" He exclaimed.

"Mostly due to the fact that I had to explain every one of them to you." He replied. "Normally it would take about two."

Ichigo sighed then looked to the large academy gate. From what Hachi told him he was supposed to take as many new recruits as he wanted to bolster the numbers of his division.

"Think anyone would want to join the division?" He wondered aloud.

"Oh I'm su-" Hachi paused hearing some buzzing. "Did you hear that?"

Then came the tremor.

"What the hell is happening?" Suddenly Ichigo was overcome with a sense of unexplainable dread.

They saw the dust cloud.

"Ohh boy…." Hachi mumbled, taking a few steps back.

Then the horde hit.

"SIGN HERE ICHIGO-SAMA!"

"MARRY ME!"

"ARE YOU A SINGLE?!"

"TEACH ME!"

"DO ME!"

"I LOVE YOU!"

And so on. In a matter of seconds Ichigo was swarmed by fangirls, and to his horror, fanboys. They crowded around him like hornets, almost ripping his clothes off. He stubbornly pushed forward through the mob. The cries for autographs, apprenticeship, marriage, and propositions were endless. A few times he felt a hand on his rear, and he wasn't totally sure all of them belonged to girls….

What threw his over the edge was when someone pinched his ass. He jumped into the air, and flew the rest of the way to the main building. Even then he still could hear the squeals and giggles.

'Thank Kami that my HQ is a fortress…' He thought. He noticed Hachi flying next to him, not even trying to hide his laughter.

"Very funny. Being molested is just so laughable." Ichigo said sarcastically.

"Well being famous does have its drawbacks." Hachi told him. "But you are a hero now, so expect such…ah incidents, in the future too."

Ichigo grunted, deciding to look at the area below him.

The academy was divided into six areas. The main building, training fields, library, dormitory, park, and the stadium, where the ceremonies and official fights were held.

They landed in front of Shinigami Academy stadium. The stadium's architectural style wasn't much different from the usual style of the Soul Society. The whole building was made of white stone. It had a circular shape, with a sanded area in the middle, and stands circling it. A large group of people were currently standing in lines in the sanded area, with a proctor in front of them. He was going on about something involving traditions and duties.

The memory of his own school opening ceremony crept into his mind.

'Poor souls.' He thought. He made his presence known by flaring his Reiatsu, thus saving the recruits from a lecture. All chatter was cut instantly, when all eyes turned to him.

"Ah welcome Captain Kurosaki, I'm Jui Jinjon, the proctor of this year's recruitment." The middle aged man introduced himself. He was average height, skinny, had a rat type face and had a signs of balding.

"It's a pleasure." Ichigo replied with a fake smile. "So what do we have here?"

"This year's graduates, over two hundred." He replied politely.

"Hmm, not even one of them has Reiatsu high enough to even be a seated officer." Ichigo stated curiously. He was wondering how he was going to create any real force with levels like these.

"Oh don't worry, these are just the common graduates. The elite are inside the main building." He told him off handily, snorting slightly at the crowd.

"I see." He looked at the graduates, and raised his voice. "My name is Ichigo Kurosaki, Captain of the recently reestablished Kido Corps, it's a pleasure to meet you all." He exclaimed, earning a wave of murmurs.

"Silence!" The proctor screeched.

"Thank you proctor." Ichigo said after his ears stopped ringing. "Now I need all of who had A and B grades in Kido Arts to step forward." Roughly thirty people stepped forward. 'Hmm I expected more.' He thought. He looked at the fresh recruits for a moment.

"I'm happy to have you as my subordinates and I'm sure each one of you will fit right in my division and make me proud , now I'd like you to follow Hachigen-san to your new barracks." He pointed to the giant. "In my absence you are obliged to follow his orders to the letter, is that clear?"

"HAI!" They exclaimed in unison.

"Good. Hachigen-san they are all yours." He ordered.

"Understood Captain." He gave him a slight smirk, which Ichigo returned, both of them amused with the formalism. Hachi took the recruits and left the stadium. Ichigo turned to Jui.

"Ok proctor-san lead the way to these... elite graduates." Ichigo stressed the last words, giving them a slightly sarcastic edge. Which of course went unnoticed by the dense proctor.

"Of course Kurosaki-sama." He waved dismissively to the rest of the crowd, and started to walking towards the exit. Ichigo followed him, 'Lickspittle.' He thought with disdain. They left the stadium and headed to a small dojo nearby. Jui opened the door and lead him inside. In the middle sized room stood a group of about twenty people. Ichigo looked them over, already he could feel the difference in power between them and those in the stadium.

"Everyone line up, the Captain has arrived." The group quickly stood in a perfect line.

"Kurosaki-sama I gladly introduce you to…." He started to introduce each one, telling him their name and status. Ichigo quickly got bored and just stared at them blankly. Though his attention returned when proctor seemingly overlooked three people at the farthest end of the line.

"Proctor-san what about those three?" Ichigo asked, looking at the three recruits. The proctor chuckled.

"Ah those… don't bother with them. They are just trash that got lucky." His voice was dripping with disdain.

"Excuse me?" Ichigo asked, mortified that a teacher could say something like that about his students, especially in front of a Captain.

"Those ruffians are from the South Rukongai, 77th District. They got lucky when some Shinigami took pity on them, and brought them to the academy. They've got some skill but nothing exceptional, unlike the rest of the group. Every year there are a few regular eggs amongst the gold ones." Ichigo looked at the trio. Despite having neutral faces, or trying to, Ichigo could clearly see the hurt in their eyes. It pissed him off but he remained calm, if not counting that the temperature in room dropped. The thick denseness that was Jui was untouched though.

"Is being from the South Rukongai 77th District so bad?" Ichigo asked casually. Jui rose an eyebrow, but soon comprehension lit on his face.

"Oh, how could I have forgot that you're still human, Kurosaki-sama." He exclaimed. "Not to bother you with the details, the larger the number of the district, the lower the quality of people that live there." He chuckled at his joke, as well as the rest of the people in the room, except for the unlucky trio. "The 80th's Districts are the worst. So you can see they are quite close to the bottom. While the rest of the students here are from the 1st and 2nd. They are the elite and nobility, unlike those three. People like them shouldn't even be in the Gotei 13.. err 14. They are a disgrace, so let's not bother with them anymore, and focus on the true potentials." He started to chuckle, and the rest of the group followed him. Ichigo started to chuckle, his laughter far from happy, but he noticed how the faces of the three Shinigami visibly fell.

His chuckle quickly took on a dark edge.

"So you are saying that without noble blood one shouldn't be allowed in the S.S.?" Jui nodded energetically. Ichigo's smile turned really unpleasant, so much that even the proctor started to feel slightly disturbed."The people just like… me?" He asked quietly, all good mood vaporized in that second. Jui felt a Reiatsu pressure rising with every second.

"I don't have an ounce of noble blood in my veins, yet I'm a Captain. So you're saying that I'm a disgrace?" He asked quietly, obvious threat in his voice. "That despite defeating the enemies of the Soul Society over and over again, I do not deserve to be a part of it. Simply because I don't come from the high and mighty nobility?"

"N-No I…" His voice stuck in his throat when Ichigo focused his pressure on him, and rose it to Captain level.

Jui couldn't even breathe. He looked into Ichigo's eyes with dread, that quickly transformed into absolute terror when he saw his black and gold eyes boring into his very soul. Suddenly he felt very small and fragile. Ichigo's form turned into that of shadowy beast with those terrifying inhuman golden eyes.

"Treat any of your students like that ever again and I will make you regret it." Ichigo said with deadly seriousness. The proctor fell to his knees, nodding his head madly.

"Now let's see what you are all really worth." Ichigo released a low Vice-Captain level pressure on them. Unsurprisingly all the noble elite fell on their knees, gasping for air while the... disgrace of Shinigami managed to handle it quite well. Ichigo looked at them for a moment.

"Introduce yourselves." He commanded.

"I'm Roja Estralla." Said the slim tall man. He was about 6'2" tall. He had shoulder length, shaggy blond hair with no bangs, and a small beard on his chin. His gray eyes watching Ichigo from his narrow face. His skin had a peachy color. He was wearing standard Shinigami attire. The man had an laid back attitude appearance, with a small smile on his face. Overall he gave off a good vibe.

"S-Shinda Chinmoku." The next man stuttered nervously. He was the same height as Roja, but he was built firmer that him. He had a pale complexion, and unkempt black hair, with a streak of dark green on the right side. His eyes were navy blue. His attire was different than the rest of the Shinigami. He wore a dark green undershirt, and a black Hakama. The worn and tattered top part of his Shihakusho was on his left shoulder, and it was attached to him by a large clip, covering most of his arm. As for footwear he had a pair of black boots. Unlike Roja, the man was nervous and seemed intimidated by Ichigo's presence.

"Hashiro Zankari." Replied the boy who looked about fifteen, at most. He was the smallest, barely 5'6" tall. He was clean shaven, and had the most muscular build of all tree, but he hadn't gone overboard with it. He had arctic blue eyes. His face was stern, and he was looking at Ichigo with... an "I'm not that impressed" expression. His Shihakusho was similar to Ichigo's in Bankai form.

Ichigo looked at them blankly, deep in thought. 'Ok so I got a laid back guy, one who is afraid of me and growing worse by the second, and a cross between Toshiro and Ikkaku who's dressed like me.' He mentally sighed. Ichigo knew that they would cause some trouble, but out of that bunch they seemed the most capable.

The silence prolonged, and the three started to feel uncomfortable under the calculating gaze of the Captain. Even Hashiro's "I don't give a damn" attitude abandoned him. Suddenly the pressure disappeared, and Ichigo gave them friendly smile.

"Are you interested in joining my squad?" He asked. Rojo and Hashiro nodded immediately, but Shinda hesitated. "Is something wrong?" Ichigo asked him in a friendly tone, not trying to scare him off.

"I'm not proficient in Kido… I can safely do Hado up to 30. I'm a bit better with Bakudo, so I'm not sure that I will fit in your division." He looked down, ashamed of his short comings. His two companions gave him sympathetic looks.

Ichigo on the other hand looked at him with a calculating glare.

"Don't worry we have some of the best guys in town in that department, they'll help you out." Ichigo patted his shoulder. Omitting the part about Shinda being better at Kido than himself. "Ok I think we're done here. Let's get going, we have lots of work to do."

The three obediently followed their new Captain, feeling that their futures would be much better.

Later on the three newest recruits witnessed the mighty building that happened to be their new home. To say all three were slack jawed would be the understatement of century

'I wonder if I looked like that?' Ichigo chuckled inside. "Ok listen up. Do you see that big pink haired guy over there?" He pointed to Hachi, who was drilling the new recruits. All of them nodded.

"Good. In my absence he is in charge. Since we're basically recreating the division the chain of command is slightly off, so treat him as Vice-Captain for now. Understood?" Again affirming nods.

"Good. Now go to him and tell him that I sent you. He will give you all the details you need to know. Any questions? No? Alright, dismissed." They bowed, and headed to the giant.

Ichigo trotted to his office to finish a few things, but when he opened the doors he felt his legs turn to jelly. His desk (and surrounding) were again littered with papers.

"GOD DAMN IT! I WAS JUST GONE AN HOUR!" Ichigo wailed, looking at the mountain of paper work. He had some time before the meeting, so he dragged his body to his chair (extremely comfortable at that), and all he could see was white…..

* * *

Human World,

After a very embarrassing walk home, and explaining to Yuzu how she exactly tripped and fell into the mud, Tia found herself bored. She decided to watch some TV ,albeit she found out long ago that most channels were severely below her intelligence level, so she mostly watched geographic channels. She could also use the internet, but she was still hesitant to enter this place after her last… discovery.

She flipped to another channel, seeing waves crashing against beach.

Tia was about to change it again when she suddenly froze.

"Goood afternoon HONOLULU! It's your weather reporter Jeffry Joens, and I've got a news for ya! Tomorrow's gonna be awesomeeeee." An excited voice sounded from the TV. "Surfing season is right around the corner, and I have a hunch that this year will be amazing! Now to the weather!"

Tia stared at the map, not being able to take her eyes off the screen. The forecast ended changing to some commercial with a man surfing through the waves.

Tia couldn't explain what was happening to her now, but she felt a yearning so strong it almost hurt. A sense of…homesickness, was the only term that crossed her mind.

She couldn't understand it. All she had left from her previous life were scraps that barely could be called memories.

Yet a pit formed in her stomach, as if something tried to swallow her whole.

"Tia-neesan!" A voice suddenly sounded in her ear.

Only years of self-control prevented her from jumping out of her skin.

"Yuzu… please don't do that." She asked calmly.

"You've been staring at the TV for five minutes while I've been trying to snap you out of it! Are you ok?" Yuzu asked, worry laced all over her face.

"I'm fine, Yuzu. I just got lost in my thoughts." She replied.

"What were you thinking about?" She inquired.

"Home." She replied absentmindedly.

"Florida?" Yuzu furrowed her eyebrows.

"No, Hawaii."

"Oh yeah you were watching commercials about it." Yuzu realized. "Anyways your phone was ringing."

"Oh thank you." Tia stood up and walked upstairs to Ichigo's room. She picked up her mobile, seeing that she had missed a call from Urahara.

She tapped the number and waited for the man to answer.

"Hello, Hello Urahara's shop here! I can get all you want and even more!"

"It's me Urahara-san." Tia said flatly.

"Oh Halibel-san! How do you like my new catch phrase?" He asked sounding enthusiastic.

"It's… catchy?" She replied trying to sound sincere.

"Perfect! Sales are gonna sky rocket! Now on to the business. I talked with a good friend of mine, who so happens to have a bar, and luckily he's in need of help." He informed her.

"What kind of job would it be?"

"It's a barman position, or barwoman in your case. You'll be mixing drinks and serving them to clients. Don't worry, this place is for higher cllientele." He stated before she had a chance to protest.

"I do not know anything about serving drinks." Tia replied, unsure if she was fit for the job.

"Don't worry. My friend will teach you everything. You'll interview with him 3 PM tomorrow, at Dangeki 23 Street. The bar is called Eden Hall, and the owners is named Ryuu Sasakura."

"You have my gratitude, Urahara-san." She told him with a small amount of warmth in her voice.

"You're welcome, have a nice night!" The line went dead.

'I need to dress properly.'

* * *

_Soul Society._

After recovering from some minor trauma caused by paperwork, Ichigo headed to the 1st Squad Headquarters for his very first Captain's meeting. He would be lying if he said that he wasn't nervous. He'd visited the meeting hall many times in the past, yet always as a guest, never as a member standing in one line along with rest.

To make matters worse he had to lie to them, and convince them that by no means he was harboring a rouge Arrancar in his bed room.

'A totally hot Arrancar, that for some reason still isn't claimed, ya limp dick.' Hichigo snarled. 'How much longer you're gonna be a gay? I mean fucking really!'

'Now is not the time for this! Go back to whatever hole you climbed out of, I need to focus.' Ichigo snapped.

'Focus on her shapely ass, that might give you necessary motivation!' He offered.

'I do not stare at her ass!' Ichigo protested.

'Never said you did, hahah. Something you're not telling me Ichi-chan? Looks like even your defenses are breaking. Not that I blame you. I would've banged her right after she took her first shower back home… probably before that actually. Even when she was still covered in all that mud and blood.'

'Ok I'm scared for life, you're sick. I'm never speaking with you ever again.' Ichigo replied, suppressing a shiver.

Shaking his head, he made his way into the hall just in time for the meeting.

"Hey Ichigo, I see you managed to get here in the nick of time. What kept you for so long?" Shinji asked, his usual grin plastered on his face.

"Paperwork."

"I sympathize with your pain." Shinji's grin fell in understanding.

"And I with yours." Ichigo replied.

A mutual understanding between two souls thrown in bureaucratic nightmare was made.

They entered the meeting chamber. Ichigo was slightly lost, noticing that they had some manner of standing order.

Shrugging he stood next to Shinji, earning a glare from Byakuya Kuchiki. This told him that he stomped on yet another tradition of the Soul Society. However Ichigo wouldn't be Ichigo if he cared about that stuff.

"Let the meeting begin." The Captain Commander announced.

"Captain Commander, I would firstly like to bring up the matter of….. Captain Kurosaki's unauthorized trip to Hueco Mundo." Mayuri Kurotsuchi spoke.

'The hell he mean by unauthorized?' Ichigo frowned.

"Proceed." Yamamoto spoke, eying the young Shinigami.

"Yesterday, by human time, there was a release of Adjuchas level Hollow Reiatsu in the center area of Karakura Town. Just as suddenly the Reiatsu disappeared." He paused, looking at Ichigo with curious eyes. "Then the sensors placed in Hueco Mundo went off the scale. The amount of Reiatsu released was simply humongous. Mind telling us why, Captain Kurosaki?" He asked, giving Ichigo a penetrating glare.

"I'm still not sure myself what exactly happened there." Ichigo said slowly, as if thinking about every word. This earned puzzled looks from the rest.

"Oh? Care to elaborate?" Kurotsuchi asked. "What happened there that could possibly confuse such an intellectual mind as your own?"

"Ok listen, I don't know what bit you in the as-" Ichigo growled.

"Enough! Continue." Yamamoto ordered, preventing a fight from breaking starting.

"I was training my Hollow powers when I happened to have overdone a Cero." He rubbed his neck sheepishly at the disbelieving looks he was under. "That was probably that Adjuchas level release your sensor's caught."

"That still doesn't explain your unauthorized trip to Hueco Mundo." Soifon pointed.

"I'm getting to that." He replied. "A Garganta opened and… something attacked me."

"What do you mean something, Ichigo?" Kyorau looked at him quizzically. "If it's a Garganta, it's obviously a Hollow."

"At first I thought so too, but I'll get to that later. It attacked with a few Ceros, then ran back, leaving the gate open. So I chased after it."

"You're an idiot, aren't you?" Kensei stated. "How much more of an obvious trap can you get?"

"Can you stop interrupting me every damn second? There's still a lot to cover, and I don't have all day." Ichigo barked annoyed. "After I got to the other side… there were six Vasto Lordes waiting for me."

Silence fell on the gathered. He looked around noting the various levels of disbelief.

"Ara, it seems that someone has a fever." Unohana said kindly. "I think you should visit me for a checkup."

"I'm totally fine, Unohana-san, but that's what happened. They attacked me and I barely made it back." He sighed.

"You fought six Vasto Lordes?" Zaraki confirmed angrily. "Why the hell does all good stuff always happen to you?"

Ichigo gave him a heavy look.

"That's not the worst part, they weren't normal Hollow. Hell I've never seen anything like them." This part he didn't fake. "It's like… they were empty, completely devoid of anything at all. Even the sand around them had more life in it. Every Hollow I've met before had some sort of …." He paused searching for the right words.

"Reiatsu signature?" Shinji tried to support.

"Yes and no? They had nothing at all, even when they used their power, it was like an emptiness pushing against me." During Ichigo's report the Captain Commander eyed him carefully, a mighty frown on his face. He didn't like what he was hearing, not one bit.

"Three of them looked normal, I guess for Vasto Lordes, but the other three… well they kind of looked liked gray skinned bald humans, dressed in some sorts of rags, with a lot of trinkets on them. They all had white milky eyes, and creepy needle-like teeth."

"Fascinating. If a specimen like that…" Mayuri mumbled under his breath.

"Here's the part that worried me the most. They had these sort of… tattoos? The tattoo's seemed to turn into weapons at will or something…" Ichigo paused to think about what to say next.

The Captain Commander closed his eyes, feeling a massive headache coming on. He already knew exactly what young Shinigami encountered. He opened his eyes, catching Unohana's glance.

"They also kept talking about their Masters? Something they called the A-" He told them.

"That is enough Captain Kurosaki." Yamamoto interjected, surprising the collected Shinigami.

"Huh, why?" He protested.

"You shall speak no more of this matter." He left no room for discussion.

"Captain Commander-sama may I ask a question not related to the fight itself?" Unohana asked, earning a begrudging nod.

"Thank you Genryusai-sama. Ichigo how did you manage to come back from Hueco Mundo?"

"Ah that? I just opened a Graganta and went through it." He shrugged.

"Definitely a fever." She shook her head. "Ichigo I'll ask once mo-" She paused when she had seen a black gate opening behind Ichigo's back. "Impossible."

"Just a bit of practice." Ichigo pushed out his chest proudly.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Shinji uttered. "Cero I can get, but a Garganta?! All of us have tried that for decades, and we've never even come close. All you're saying is it took you a bit of practice?" Kensei and Rojuro nodded. "How did you pull this off?"

'Not helping, you bastard.' Ichigo growled. Out of all the people here Shinji knew exactly who helped him, yet he kept bringing the conversation back into dangerous territory. Apparently the blonde Captain realized his blunder, and sent Ichigo an apologetic look. 'You can shove that apology up your ass.'

"I don't know, just winged it I guess." He shrugged again. "Like always."

"How can you possibly wing opening a dimension penetrating gate?" Toshiro spoke, voice laced with doubt and shock.

"Look it almost got killed then. I was all bloody, battered, and tired and really wanted to go home. Then just like that it opened." Ichigo replied annoyed.

"So by practice you mean almost getting killed?" He clarified.

"Most people tell me that I work best under stress." He boasted. "So yeah there's your report."

"Then what about that Arrancar Reiatsu?" Mayuri asked. "My readers picked up a clean reading of one?"

"What Arrancar?" Ichigo played dumb. "I haven't seen one around."

"Impossible. My sensors picked up an enormous Arrancar Reiatsu in your area." He snorted.

"Look I was in way over my head, trying not to get killed. I didn't have time to watch out for some damn Arrancar." He mentally apologized to Tia. "I didn't notice anyone or your sensors are busted."

"My sensors busted!? You know nothing Kurosaki!" He exclaimed.

"I know that you took some stuff that belongs to my division, and I want them back." He stated firmly.

"What could I possibly want from such primitives of the Kido Corps?" He spat.

"Oh I don't know, maybe a whole damn library filled with books? Ring any bells?" Ichigo growled.

"I claimed it rightly after the Kido Corps were disbanded." He replied, folding his arms.

"But the Kido Corps are back again, and those books belong to my division." He stated.

"And what will you do if I refuse? Try to take them from me?" Mayuri laughed.

"Yup." Ichigo replied casually. "Those belong to the Kido Corps, and If I have to I'll take them by force."

"You think I'm scared of a brain dead bully like yourself? Don't make me laugh, you're nowhere near my level!" He gave Ichigo a mocking look, making the teen's expression darken.

"I guess you are." Ichigo said flatly. "You are more intelligent than me." His statement caused many brows to rise. "But wanna guess who else was so much more intelligent than me, and possibly you, but I still beat him? Aizen." Ichigo stepped from the line and walked closer to the mad scientist. "So let me put it this way. Either you give me my damn library back, or I'll walk into your place, raze it to the ground, and take them out myself,** Kurotsuchi**." Maybe it was the smug attitude, or the open disrespect the other Captain was giving him, but is set off something primal inside Ichigo.

Subconsciously he started to release an ungodly amount of Reiatsu directly at Mayuri. The Mad Scientist eyes widened under the sheer of pressure of it. The boy's powers exceeded all his previous estimates.

But what was even more interesting were his eyes. They turned black without him even having his mask on.

Kensei and Rojuro's froze at the sight. A Visored Shinigami should only be able to have such eyes while wearing a mask. Without it was a sign of losing control over their Inner Hollow.

"Ichigo-san I think you've made your point." Unohana said gently, walking up to him and putting her hand on his shoulder. "As entertaining as it is, we don't solve things here with violence." She gave him gentle smile. 'Well at least not anymore.'

Ichigo turned back staring into her eyes, and after few seconds nodded. The black bled out of his eyes, after a few blinks.

"Right, sorry about that. So then how do I non-violently get our stuff back?" He asked her.

"Quarrels between squads are usually solved by the courts, but if a Captain makes a claim it's up to the Captain Commander to decide." She explained.

"Ok, so Captain Commander….sama." He forced himself to add the suffix. "May I get the books and scrolls back that were taken from my division…. please?"

By now everyone expect Mayuri, SoiFon, and Byakuya were visibly amused by his antics. Ichigo had the rare ability to jump from threatening and scary to funny and clueless in less than second.

Yamamoto held the urge to rub his temples. Kids these days were too much for him.

"Kurosaki Ichigo, are you aware that the books are sealed?" He asked, already knowing the answer. "No one was successful in unsealing them, so rending them is impossible."

"Oh?" Came Ichigo's intelligent reply. "I still would like them back." He stated firmly.

"He's not even able to unseal them!" Mayuri protested. "I'm getting close to cracking the seal!"

"You've been saying that for decades now." Unohana pointed out, with her ever present smile. The mad scientist glared at her and one could swear that there were electricity discharges between them.

"I'll think of something…. So old man, what's the verdict?" Ichigo asked, looking to Yamamoto.

"I had enough of your constant disrespect, Kurosaki!" SoiFon jumped out. "You will address the Captain Commander-sama with the respect he deserves!"

"Whoa, don't bite my head off SoiFon. I'm still new to this chain of command thing." Ichigo replied defensively. "Still haven't read the manual yet."

"What manual?" Kyoraku asked, looking around to the rest, seeing if they knew something.

"This book called Laws and Traditions of Soul Society. Hachi told me that everything I need to know is in there."

"You still haven't read it?!" SoiFon sneered. "Some Captain you are."

"Give it a rest SoiFon. That thing is like three thousand pages. Hell even I've never finished ir." Shijni shrugged.

"Enough!" Yamamoto struck the ground with his cane. "Kurosaki Ichigo you will address me with proper honorifics, boy." He said with authority, giving the young Captain an iron glare, making the teen look away. "Captain Kurotsuchi you've been trying to unseal those books for decades now, without any success. At the next meeting Captain Kurosaki will try to unseal a book. If he succeeds, I will sanction the recollection. If not the books will stay within the 12th Division's resources. Whomever breaks the seal first will have the rights to the rest of the library." He stated. "Are there any other matters to bring up?"

None of the Captains said anything.

"Then this meeting is over, Captain Kurosaki you are forbidden to ever disclose anything about your fight to anyone, am I clear?"

"Yes sir." Ichigo replied stiffly, feeling like a fresh recruit before Yamamoto.

"Good, dismissed." He Shunpo'ed out of the room, leaving the Captains alone.

"Great." Ichigo mumbled moving towards the doors. "Never even wanted this frikkin gig."

"Don't get disheartened, Ichigo-san. You will adjust in time." Unohana said gently.

"Yeah. I'm sure Yama-jii will allow you to call him old man soon enough." Kyoraku added. "Though I think we need to pressure him a bit about these Hollows you fought."

"If they were able to kick your ass they have to be a lot of fun." Zaraki added.

"And look where it got them, six feet back under." Ichigo snapped back, anger starting to cloud his reason.

"Oh looks like someone is in fighting mood, wanna take this outside?" The battle thirsty Captain grinned.

"Gentlemen calm down." Rojuro said. "No need to get aggressive."

"Whatever." Ichigo practically snarled, almost wanting to take Zaraki's offer.

"Killjoy." Kenpachi grumbled.

"If there's nothing more I'm leaving. Bet there's even more paperwork that needs my attention more right now." He Shunpo'ed of the room in exasperation.

"I knew taking him in would be a disaster." SoiFon folded her arms.

"The gall of that brat knows no bounds. To demand my property!" Kurotsuchi seethed.

"To be frank those books are his property now." Ukitake pointed out. "You claimed them after the fall of the previous Corp, but the real owner is still the Kido Corps. The laws are clear on that."

"Then I'm lucky he never read that article." He chuckled. "Not like he would be able to break the seals anytime soon. Even my top scientist are unable to, and he's barely out of diapers."

"Not to burst your bust you bubble Captain Kurotsuchi, but Kurosaki has a track record of actually being able to pull things off that are seemingly impossible for him." Toshiro interjected.

"All of them required brute strength, not precision and knowledge." He rolled his eyes.

"It would be prudent to return the books to the Kido Corps, Captain Kurotsuchi." Unohana stated.

"Save your lectures for someone who is willing to listen." He waved the Captains off, marching out of the room.

"Hmm looks like Ichigo made an enemy today." Ukitake sighed.

"That boy has a knack for getting in trouble." Kyoraku agreed. "So how about a bottle of sake old friend?"

* * *

_Kido Corps HQ,_

When Ichigo got back he noticed that Hachi was still training his newest recruits. So he decided to head back to his office. After getting lost several times, he finally got the right corridor.

"Kami damn it, this place is a maze!" He exclaimed to no one as he opened a massive door, expecting another mountain of paper work to be waiting. What he got was an absolutely stunning woman lying on his desk in her birthday suit.

"Hello Captain. I've been waiting for you." She purred seductively.

"Y-Y-Y-Yoruichi!" Ichigo choked in shock, with his eyes wide.

She grinned and slowly moved her index finger to her mouth. She licked the tip and slowly started to trail it down along her body.

Like in trance his eyes slowly followed it stopping for few seconds on her breasts. Pausing she obviously noticed, feeling her smile widen.

The poor boy only lasted till her finger made it to her bellybutton line, on her flat taut stomach.

With a face as red as a tomato, and steam coming out of his ears, he fainted. His body slumped to the floor.

The last thing he heard was a melodic giggle.

About half hour later he awoke sitting in his chair. With eyes closed he mused about why exactly he dreamt of a naked Yoruichi lying on his desk. She was his teacher and friend, he surely don't see her that way…

The second he opened his eyes he was staring into a pair of golden cat-like eyes, visibly lit in amusement. Not to mention that her face was so close to his, he could feel her breath.

Before he could freak out again, she placed a sleek long finger on his lips, silencing him.

"Now now Sensei is speaking." She smiled when his cheeks grew red. "It seems that you need few lessons in proper etiquette, my dear apprentice. That way situations like the one with the Captain Commander can be avoided. Fear not, I'll be more than happy to assist you with this." She chirped cheerfully.

Ichigo tried to say something, but she just pressed her finger harder.

"Apapa. I'm not done yet." She spoke slyly. "You also don't have the faintest idea what exactly the role of Captain really is, do you?"

He furrowed his eyebrows, but ultimately shook his head.

"Worry not then! Your awesome Sensei will aid you in that too!" She announced. Ichigo's eyebrows rose, as she took her finger off his lips.

"Why the sudden interest? I mean you probably have better things to do than babysit me?" He asked, massaging his numb lips.

She pouted.

"So you don't want me around?" She replied sadly, actually managing to look hurt.

"Of course I want you around!" He said hotly, seeing how Yoruichi's pupils widened. "You're a friend, but I don't want you to waste your time with me. Surely you have more important stuff to do."

"I wouldn't call time spent with you a waste." She said in a low voice. Maybe it was the close proximity, or the way she said it, but again a blush crept on his face.

Yoruichi ginned again, leaning back. To his immense relief she was now dressed.

"Or maybe there is someone else that you wish to spend time with more than me?" She pushed her lips slightly, observation Ichigo with half closed eyes.

"What are you talking about?" Ichigo's gaze narrowed.

"Oh you know, maybe a certain blonde that happens to sleep with you." She played with a strand of her hair idly.

"We don't sleep together! We just share a room!" He exclaimed with a deep blush.

"Hooo? Pretty defensive aren't you?" She chuckled. "You can't tell me she isn't just eye candy."

"Ok that's a second time you brought her up. Why are you so interested in her?" Ichigo folded his arms, giving Yoruichi a pointed look.

"No reason, just asking." She played indifference. Ichigo stared at her with suspicion.

"No, there's something going on here…" He rubbed his chin. "You seem way too interested in us."

"Call it concern for my apprentice. I do not trust her." Yoruichi replied.

"You just don't know her. Tia's a really great and dependable person." Ichigo smiled.

"No doubt." Came a dry response. 'Get a hint you moron!'

"Ok then. It was pleasure chatting with you, but I've had a hell of a day and need to fill out this paperwork… maybe-" Hundreds of pages went into the air as Yoruichi made her exit. "...help me with them…Oh come on you said you wanted to help!"

Then he noticed a small note with black cat drawn on it in his lap.

"See you on Monday." He read. "What the hell? Bah! I don't have time to worry about her pranks now!"

* * *

_Human World,_

The next day Tia woke up late. It was already afternoon, and she was still in bed. She stretched and heard her joints popping back into place. The weather outside was nice. The sun was shining brightly, and the temperature was quite high, around 15 degrees.

As she went through her morning routine, and planned her day out. She was free till 3 PM, and then she had to go to the place where Urahara arranged a job for her. Looking at the clock she noticed that it was almost 1 PM. So she didn't have much time left.

Tia spent remaining time helping Yuzu with house work. After finishing, Tia proceeded upstairs to dress properly for her interview. She decided to go for a more elegant style.

White shirt, with black jacket on top. Knee-length black skirt, with tights and black high heels shoes. She made her usual three braids, and sprayed herself with perfume. She looked at her reflection in the mirror. She knew that she would make a good first impression on her future employer.

She left the house and took the bus. After thirty-five minutes she arrived in Tokyo. While not the main center, this district was still quite lively. She walked about ten minutes toward her destination. She passed countless skyscrapers and other high buildings, and even a few parks. When she finally arrived she couldn't spot the place itself. From what she knew bars we usually well-advertised, and yet she couldn't find this particular one

'Hmm the place should be somewhere around here.' She thought. She would be late if she did not find it soon. She looked around once more, and something caught her attention. It was a door. Not any particular door, but a rather unusual one. Its outer frame looked similar to Stonehenge, which she learned from a history program. She walked closer and read the inscription engraved on a small silver plate.

"Eden Hall." She read aloud, comparing the name to the one on the paper from Urahara. "This should be it." She pushed the door, but it didn't even budge an inch. "What the…?" She pushed harder and finally, it moved. She wondered why someone would make such heavy doors. It certainly would scare customers away. Tia walked inside and looked at the bar. It was unusual to say the least.

The wooden beams in the walls were made to look like a tree trunks. The place was painted in various shades of brown. Most of the furniture was made of dark wood. The bar itself was placed near the wall. As with the furniture, it was made of dark-brown wood. The long counter that separated the bartender from his customers was polished till it almost shined. The wall behind the bar was turned into shelves for the various alcohol brands. The rest of the wall was covered in bricks. That place just felt pretty cozy.

But what really caught Tia's attention was the bartender himself. He was a tall, young, and handsome man, with black combed-back hair. He had brownish-amber eyes, and a gentle smile. He wore a white shirt with a black vest, blue tie, and black pants with an apron over them. Currently he was cleaning glasses.

"Hello" She greeted him. The man turned his head to her with a polite smile.

"Welcome. Tia Halibel I presume" He greeted her back.

"Ryuu Sasakura, it's a pleasure." She offered him a small nod.

"Likewise Halibel-san. Our mutual friend, Urahara, told me that you are looking for employment on weekends, is that right?" He asked looking at the glass he was cleaning.

"Yes sir." She replied shortly.

"Please call me Ryuu, or Sasakura, sir makes me feel old." He gave her an easy smile.

"Very well Sasakura-san."

"Good. From what I heard you're a minor, and haven't had contact with alcohol before?" Tia nodded at the statement. "Ok so we will start immediately. Sundays are usually quite light, so it's the perfect time to learn. Firstly your outfit." He began. Tia looked at her clothes and finding nothing wrong with them.

"There are two things you've got wrong, but don't worry, you're still new to this." He motioned her to come closer, and handed her an empty shaker. "Try to shake it." She did, but the jacket restrained her movements. She looked at him and blushed in embarrassment.

"Do you now see why bartenders wear vests, and not full-sleeved jackets?" She nodded. "Please wear one the next time you come. Secondly, your shoes. While elegant for parties and official meetings, as a bartender you will stand for most of your time. So such shoes will tire your legs quickly." He smiled. "Try something comfortable, like moccasins."

"I will." She'd have to go to the shop again.

"Ok next are the bartender rules. Rule number one: Always be polite, even if the customer is rude you will have to remain polite. Usually those sort of people do not come here though. Rule two: You cannot drink during working hours. You have to stay somber all the times, and if some customers try to buy you a drink, you have to decline."

"Why would anyone want to buy me a drink?" She asked confused. Ryuu looked at her with amusement.

"I hope that I won't be too bold saying this, but you are a beautiful woman. Many men would just love to buy you a drink." Tia felt slightly uneasy, the only other person who commented her like that was Ichigo. Even then it was unintentional. "But as I said, you will have to decline. It's a matter of being professional. Third: Always listen to what customer has to say. This can give you a hint about what kind of drink he/she needs. I think those are probably the most important things for now." He looked at her, concentrating deeply. "But all in due time. Now please come here and take a glass. I'll show you the proper way to pour beer…"

* * *

_Soul Society,_

Ichigo sighed tiredly while filling out yet another form. He spent the previous evening and this morning on the exact same thing, namely paperwork. Hachi was sitting next to him doing the more advanced paper work, and explaining the more interesting things along the way. Around noon he needed a break and decided to personally test his three most interesting recruits.

"Hey guys." Ichigo said as he entered the training field, the three assembled there already.

"Hello Captain." They replied in perfect sync.

"Ok, so let's not waste any more time. First question: Have any of you achieved Shikai?" He asked, and was surprised when all of them nodded.

"Eh... from the report I received only Hashiro had managed Shikai." Roja and Shinda gave him a smug smile.

"We couldn't be too good. It was already hard for them to acknowledge that we were among the best of the academy. So if they knew about our Shikai…." Roja trailed off.

"So why did Hashiro reveal his?" A small smile crept on Hashiro's face.

"Well we were about to get beaten by some noble pricks, and when the situation looked dire he went all out and kick their asses." Roja grinned.

"How many of them did you defeat?"

"Twenty five." Hashiro replied with a bit of pride. Ichigo couldn't help but grin.

"Good. You'll be the first one I tortu….train, come." Hashiro paled a bit, but followed his Captain. When they made some distance Ichigo turned to him.

"Ok let's get things rolling. Show me your Shikai." Hashiro unsheathed his sword, in its general form it looked like a normal katana. The top of the hilt was styled with a black dragon holding a ruby in his mouth, and the blade itself was made of dragon's bone, which was as sharp as it's talon. He took his blade and put his hand on it in ripping fashion

"Shine Ryu Hioshi (Dragon Star)." The ground around him exploded. His Reiatsu sky rocketed, surprising Ichigo. He wasn't expecting this recruit to be this strong. Hashiro was covered in black armor, styled like a dragon. His head was dragon-like with an intimidating set of canines, and bloody red eyes, with narrow slits. His hands were armed with talons, as long as a short sword, and from his back grew a long tail with a blade at the end, which was swaying slightly from side to side.

"Impressive." Ichigo complimented. His form was without doubt intimidating. "Now come." Hashiro released a piercing roar, and charged at Ichigo, who just stood with arms crossed over his chest. Hashiro slashed at him, but stopped few inches from his throat.

"Why you didn't dodge?" He asked surprised.

"You really think you can cut me?" Ichigo smiled, remembering a similar situation from the past. This was also the perfect opportunity to test his Hierro. He uncrossed his arms. "Once again come." Hashiro hesitated for a moment, but made a horizontal slash at Ichigo's chest. To his shock, the talons didn't even leave a scratch on him.

"How?" He asked flabbergasted.

"A battle between Shinigami is a battle of Reiastu. Right now yours can't even penetrate the one I unintentionally release. Try harder." Hashiro made few more slashes, but to no avail. Ichigo sighed. 'Looks like we will have to do this the hard way.' He pulled his sword from his back, and lunged at him. He was superior to Hashiro in everything, and dominated the fight. The armored Shinigami barely had time to react, only his armor stood between him and utter defeat.

"Looks like I will have to crack this shell." He hit his torso hard with the blunt side of his sword, cracking the armor. In a desperate attempt to free himself, Hashiro attacked with his sharp tail, putting every ounce of Reiatsu he had left into this attack. The tail hit the target. Ichigo felt hot blood sliding down from a cut on his cheek. Ichigo stopped and looked at the panting Shinigami, who fell to his knees. His armor started to fall off, and revert to its sealed form. 'Definitely 3rd Seat material.'

"See, you can do it if you try." He helped him stand. "Do you have some other abilities that you… forgot to mention?" Hashiro chuckled.

"I can do Kido up to 60 in both Hado and Bakudo." Ichigo's jaw hit the floor. He briefly thought who was supposed to be the Kido expert here.

"Wasn't the academy level up to 45?" Ichigo asked

Hashiro smirked.

"I do not care about their limitations, so I just learned them on my own." Ichigo looked at him for a moment.

"After our training go find Hachi. Tell him that I sent you for some more advanced training."

Hashiro nodded. "Now for our little spar… To be blunt your attacks are to straight forward, thus to easy to predict. You used your tail as a last resort. You have a great advantage there, so you should use it more often to surprise the enemy. Try using some sort of spinning attack to enforce it… I think that's all. Roja you're next." The said man looked like he was facing the death penalty. Not even once could he beat Hashiro, when they sparred in secret. He walked to his Captain, and drew his ordinary looking katana.

"Begin."

"Come Daiyamondo (Diamond Beast)." His blade extended to 5 feet, and turned into pure diamond, with a black hilt and golden hand guard. Ichigo whistled.

"That must go for a pretty penny." Roja didn't reply and charged at him. When their blades connected Ichigo felt his sword become heavier that in should be, yet he still swung it like it was nothing. 'Must be one of his abilities.' Ichigo thought. Ichigo delivered a kick to his side, and pushed him away. Roja again closed the distance and shouted.

"Daiya no chikara!" A wide blast emitted from the tip of his blade. Ichigo dodged and saw everything in the blast range was now covered in diamond.

"Interesting." He told him, getting back no reply. "Silent type, huh?" Roja was about to shoot a second wave, when Ichigo suddenly closed distance.

"Bakudo no 1: Sai." Roja's arms were locked behind his back. Before he could break free, he felt a cold blade pressed to his neck. Roja sighed and gave up, panting slightly.

"You're more fluent than Hashiro, but still sloppy. You also lack imagination. That kick threw you totally off balance, as well as my Kido." Roja blushed, ashamed that he got owned by the very first Kido they had to learned. "You also lack stamina too. The fight was short yet you're already painting. Looks like I will have to make you do some exercising." The blonde groaned. "As for your sword, I noticed that it seems heavier to opponent but lighter to use, am I right?" Roja nodded. "And your last attack, that Daiya no chikara can turn anything into a diamond yes?" Another nod. "Have you thought about anything other than the offensive aspects of this attack?"

"I don't understand?" Roja replied puzzled.

"If it can turn anything to diamond, you can literally make a barrier between you and your opponent. Just work on the control to make it high and thick enough to withstand the attack…. that's all. Shinda your turn."

He nodded and stood in front of him in a loose stance, waiting for the signal.

"Begin." Shinda drew his sword, it had a standard katana blade, with a green hilt and onyx hand guard, that looked like it was rotting.

"Infect, Ekibyou." Shinda rose his blade in front of him, and began to spin it in a windmill fashion. He was enveloped in a cloud of sickly green smoke. He emerged out of it with a large pole arm, resembling a Naginata. The main body of the staff was made of rotten black wood, which was gnarled in several places. There were many holes across the staff, with mold grown on them. Near the top of the staff a large blade cut through the middle of it, reaching up to about two and a half feet past the wood, and down about halfway from the top of the staff and the middle. The blade looked like a slightly larger katana blade, and seemed to be in poor condition. Rust ate away at some parts of it, and holes could be found throughout it.

"That's... disturbing." Ichigo deadpanned. Shinda charged at him and swung his pole arm. Ichigo evaded, and began his counter attack, pushing Shinda into the defensive. Suddenly Shinda started to spin around, gathering green miasma.

"Buresu O Kurushimeru (Plague Breath)!" He thrust his pole arm forward, releasing a sickly green cloud. With each swing more and more of the mist appeared. Ichigo wisely evaded, but noticed that his movements slowed down a bit.

"Poison hmmm? Just like Kurotsuchi." He released a blast of Reiatsu, destroying the poison the air. Shinda gasped, and tried to gather another cloud but failed. Moments later he was lying on the ground with a blade pressed to his throat.

"Good one. You clearly have an advantage over opponents in your class, but you lack control of your Soul Slayer. Also the irregular shape of it makes it difficult to handle, and get proper grip. You should work on that, or concentrate on mid to long range attacks." Shinda stood and dusted himself off.

"I need a drink." He exclaimed.

"Ok I've got everything I needed from. Go hit the showers all of you. You did great, but there's still room for improvement." He told them with smile. All of them bowed and went back to the barracks.

Ichigo looked after them with a bit of pride.

He shook his head and looked at his watch, deciding it was finally time to go home. He focused on opening a Garganta leading to Human World.

He jumped inside the gate, and after few minutes he was right in front of Urahara's shop. He collected his body and went home.

One can imagine his surprise when Yuzu told him that Tia was out. His first reflex was to call her and ask if everything was alright, but he stopped himself. Tia was capable of handling herself pretty well, still the urge to know was strong.

Ichigo decided to occupy this time with something else, namely his homework and computer. Time passed by, but Tia still hadn't come back and it was after ten in the evening. By then Ichigo was convinced that she decided to leave him after all.

He had to admit that it hurt more than it should. Before he fell deeper into depression he heard someone enter the house.

He almost ran down the stairs, hoping that a certain blonde decided to come back. To his immense relief he saw Tia sitting on the sofa in the living room, massaging her feet.

"Hey Tia, what took you so long?" Ichigo asked casually, masking his previous anxiousness.

"Apparently high heels aren't suited for standing jobs." She replied while trying to loosen strained muscles.

"Jobs? Since when do you work?" Ichigo asked flabbergasted.

"Since today. I asked Urahara-san to help me find some work. I work as a barwoman now." She stated with what Ichigo recognized as pride. Only this stopped his tirade about how she didn't need to work.

"Good for you, I just hope for Urahara's sake that this place is respectable. I don't want you to mix up with some drunks." He stated firmly, his protector streak full on.

"Do not worry. This place is rather high class, and the customers are very polite and generous. Especially the men there." She added. "For some reason all of them leave me rather hefty tips. Sasakura-san only laughed when I asked him why."

"I see." Ichigo replied slowly, not sure how he felt about other men sponsoring Tia. "I recon this Sasakura-san is the owner of the bar?"

"Yes, and I have to admit I never met a man as polite and well-mannered as him." She said with a rare smile on her face. "A true gentleman."

'Burn!' Hichigo mocked him.

"Is that so?" Now he finally identified the feeling. It was jealousy. He couldn't exactly pin point why he was jealous, but he couldn't deny that he wasn't. "'I guess it's good for you then. I think I'll head to bed. I'm beat after the whole Soul Society business."

"Since you've brought it up, how did it go?" She asked.

"You don't see a legion of Shinigami out for your blood, so I guess it went well." He grinned slyly. "I'll tell you the detail tomorrow, kay?"

"Very well."

* * *

_Monday,_

"Attention students we have two new transfer students." The teacher announced.

"You've got to be kidding me…" Ichigo moaned when he saw them.

"Hello again. In case you forgot, I'm Kuchiki Rukia!"

"Sup everyone, name's Yoruichi Shihoin. I'm sure we'll all have a load of fun." She grinned looking directly at Ichigo.

* * *

A/N

I almost pity poor Ichigo, adding Rukia and Yoruichi to the mix is bound to be spectacular. I hope you liked the chapter.

Don't forget to drop a review


	9. Tip of Iceberg

Chapter 9

'What kind of monster I was in a previous life to deserve this?' Ichigo thought lamely, as he felt three pair of eyes boring into his back. He used all his will power to not look back, instead gluing his eyes to his note book. 'Rukia and Tia will probably rip each other apart, all the while Yoruichi will keep riling them up…'

While Ichigo was sinking deeper into depression, behind his back a silent staring war was taking place. Or rather Rukia giving death glares to Tia, while the latter tried to ignore them. The Arrancar was more focused on the class subject than the hostile Shinigami. Yet she couldn't help but glance from time to time on the newest arrival.

'So that's Yoruichi Shihoin.' Tia mused, scanning the violent haired woman. From what Ichigo told her she was extremely capable in CQC and Kido. Also thanks to her Ichigo achieved his Bankai, and survived his campaign against Soul Society.

Tia should respect the woman for that. After all if not for her Ichigo might've never achieved what he did, and they would have never met.

But there was something in the way Yoruichi looked at Ichigo that unnerved her. Even with her limited social experience she knew it wasn't a look a teacher should give her student.

Yoruichi noticed Tia's stare. She winked and licked her lips still eying Ichigo.

Tia frowned.

The atmosphere was so tense that the other students started to sweat, but most of all Ichigo. He was silently begging for the bell.

After an eternity the blessed sound finally reach his ears, breaking the immediate tension.

"Guys we need to talk." He said, addressing Yoruichi and Rukia. "Privately." He added looking to Tia.

The blonde withheld a huff, keeping a neutral expression.

"Don't be late for class, Ichigo." She told him while moving to talk with Inoue and Chado.

The trio left the class and moved to the roof, where a group of delinquents were smoking. But one sharp bark from Ichigo was enough to make them bail.

"Okay, what the hell guys?!" He cut to the chase.

"What? Are you sad we're here?" Yoruichi asked with a pout. Guilt tripping always worked with Ichigo.

"No, of course not, but it's just unexpected." He replied quickly. "So what are you doing here?"

"Isn't it obvious? We're here to watch your dumb ass." Rukia said in exasperation.

"I don't need a babysitter. I'm fine on my own." He crossed his arms.

"Coming back half dead from Hueco Mundo was surely a testament to that thesis." Yoruichi pointed out, making him blush.

"We're here to help you. Not to mention we can help you train in Kido." Rukia announced.

"Geez now I have like what? Five teachers?" He shook his head. "Looks like my schedule got even more cramped."

"Well there's a lot to learn, my dear apprentice." Yoruichi smirked. "But we better go to class before your pet Arrancar gets angsty."

"She's not my pet." Ichigo replied firmly.

**'You would have liked that too much, wouldn't you?'** Hichigo cackled, but Ichigo promptly ignored him.

"Ok then whim." Rukia added.

Ichigo let out a long sigh. This will be a hell of a day.

They returned to class right before the bell, so they hadn't had much time to talk. Luckily the next break was lunch, so they would have extended time to set some ground rules. Ichigo was certain that this would lead to problems. So for just a bit longer he had to endure that nagging feeling that he really should turn back and watch the women behind him….

* * *

_1st Division HQ_

Yamamoto Genryusai felt his left arm start to hurt again. Ever since he sacrificed his arm to defeat Aizen, the appendage seemed to be a biologic alarm that something unpleasant would happen to him.

"Yama-jiji fine day isn't it?" Kyoraku asked with a smile, followed by Unohana and Ukitake, aka the oldest Captains of Soul Society.

The Captain Commander sighed. He was expecting them to come for answers, but that didn't make the situation any more easier.

"I cannot disclose any details about what Captain Kurosaki encountered." He told them, vainly hoping that it will suffice.

"With all due respect." It didn't, "We ought to know about every danger to Soul Society. All of us swore that we would do everything we could to protect it." Unohana stated. "Keeping such vital information from us is counterproductive.

"This was not my decision. Central 46 has forbidden releasing that information." Feeling his scar start to ache even more.

"Genryusai-sensei, Central 46 have made many misguided decisions in the past." Ukitake said hotly.

"Be careful boy, your words border on treason." He warned him.

"But he's right. The old farts caused us enough headaches already. And there might me more of them coming." Kyoraku lost all trace of playfulness.

"The issue has been solved, and measures taken to prevent it from happening again." The Captain Commander stated calmly. "There's no need to concern yourselves further with this matter."

"Yamamoto-sama it would be prudent to at least give us estimates on the power of these so called Masters." Unohana verbally stomped her foot. He knew that she wouldn't leave until she got her answers.

"The weakest of them could wipe clean the whole Soul Society with ease." The old man said deathly serious. "If our countermeasures were ever to fail, we would go extinct in a matter of hours."

A stunned silence fell on the room. The Captain trio couldn't believe what they heard.

"How many…." Ukitake felt numb. "How many of them are out there?"

"Seven." Yamamoto said grimly. "That's why I told you to not concern yourselves with it."

"The cost of knowledge…." Unohana mumbled, taking a deep breath. "If these Masters are so powerful, how'd Ichigo managed to defeat six of their servants?"

"The boy, despite his coarseness, is quite capable. But it's mostly the fact that he might have encountered weaker servants." The old man rubbed his beard. "Yet the inclusion of this Arrancar Reitasu concerns me."

"He seemed pretty defensive about it." Kyoraku mused. "But maybe it's nothing. I mean such a large release of Reiatsu would surely draw a lot of attention, and we still haven't accounted for all the Arrancars."

"Indeed, maybe it's nothing." Unohana agreed. "Thank you for your time, Captain Commander-sama."

All three of them bowed and left the room.

"I think I will visit a restaurant today for some beverages, would you like to accompany me?" Unohana asked.

"It's rude to decline a lady's offer." Kyoraku smirked. "Also I too feel the need for drink."

"Agreed." Ukitake nodded.

* * *

Cafeteria

"…..and please, absolutely no walking around naked in the school, Yoruichi." Ichigo pleaded.

"Killjoy." The purple haired beauty mumbled, sitting across the table. Currently the whole gang occupied the table in the very farthest corner.

"And no fighting!" He stated, addressing Rukia and Tia.

"There will be no hostilities from my side, Ichigo." Tia said calmly, eating a salad.

"My first duty is to watch over you. So unless the situation calls for it I will not draw my sword." Rukia stated, giving the blonde a less than friendly look.

"Ok. I think that's all… have I told Yoruichi to not walk naked?" He rubbed his head.

"You seem quite interested in that matter…. Maybe you want to keep this view all for yourself, eh?" Yoruichi giggled when Ichigo, Rukia, and Orihime blushed. "Liked it that much?"

"I don't think such behavior is appropriate of a teacher." Tia threw her comment in without even thinking.

"Hooo?" Yoruichi's eyes glimmered with mischief.

'Kami no…' Ichigo felt like crying.

"Why exactly do you think it's inappropriate?" She rested her elbows on the table. Ichigo opened his mouth to speak, but one smile promising a very long and painful lesson shut him up.

He was the protector type through and through, but his self-preservation instinct was screaming at him to stay silent.

'Well they are only going to talk, what harm can come from it?'

"Teachers should clearly mark the line between themselves and their student. To command respect and fear in equal proportions. Not to mention indecent exposure is unbecoming for a woman." Tia explained.

"Oh? From what I recall you don't have any problems with your clothing choices, which I have to admit is quite bold. Not to mention your Ressurection. You're not the type to leave much to imagination, are you?" Yoruichi grinned when Tia's eyes narrowed. "I always recognize a fellow exhibitionist."

"Those clothes were provided to me, and it was rude to decline them. I had no influence over how my Resurrection looks." Tia replied, not taking the bait. "Unlike the conscious choice to shed your clothing before an underage boy."

"Well boys have to become men one day. It's not like he didn't liked it, eh Ichi-boo?" She grinned seeing his blush. "Why not to prepare him for the big day a little earlier? After all, Bankai wasn't all I taught him…eh lover?"

Many things happened all at once.

Inoue and Rukia spluttered incoherently, blushing madly, and looking frantically between Ichigo and Yoruichi. Ishida choked on his drink, and Chado did the same with his sandwich.

By that time Ichigo suffered a critical error, shutting his whole system down, and basically rendering the poor teen useless.

'What the fuck'd that skank say?' Tiburon seethed widely. 'You just gonna stand there, or do something Tia!?'

But like Ichigo, her mind went blank. The very thought of Ichigo being in a relationship with another woman was fundamentally wrong to her. She couldn't explain why, but the very thought sickened her.

"Is this true Ichigo?" She asked slowly, looking at the stunned boy.

Ichigo turned to her and blinked blankly. Something is her eyes told him that she was serious. He also saw something else, but couldn't identify it.

"N-no NO! I mean yeah she showed me her body, but we seriously did nothing but training! I swear!" He blurted out, gesticulating widely. "Tell them Yoruichi!"

"Oh yeah training... especially endurance training." She purred slowly, licking her lips. With satisfaction she noticed his sight trailing over her lips.

"Yoruichi!" He squeaked with an adorably embarrassed expression.

The dark skinned woman couldn't take it any longer, and burst out laughing.

"K-kami! The look on your faces! Hahahah!" She held her sides giggling madly, while the rest tried to compose themselves. "You're all just too cute, especially you blondie."

Tia frowned at the woman. She was acting all to familiar with her. Not to mention her insinuations were unacceptable.

Luckily the bell interrupted the soon to be spat between the women.

Ichigo thanked whatever higher being was looking after him, and returned to class. If the previous tension was bad, this one was a killer.

By the last lesson Ichigo was emotionally drained, and after saying goodbye to his friends, he dragged his body back home with Tia. Whom decided to go all Ulquiorra on him.

'She's probably pissed with Yoruichi.' He thought with a sigh. "I know that Yoruichi can he hard to deal with, but once you get used to that she's really cool." He said, trying to get rid of the awkward atmosphere.

Tia remained silent, only giving him a pointed look.

'Ok. Maybe let's just give her some time to cool down.' He thought, putting his hands in his pockets.

Contrary to Ichigo's thinking, Tia wasn't angry at Yoruichi. Yes she was irritated, but that wasn't the subject of her thinking right now.

Her reaction to Yoruichi's words was…. irrational. Why did she feel so strongly about the fact that Ichigo might be in relationship with another woman? Ichigo and her weren't a couple, and she doubted that she had feelings for him other than friendship.

If Tia wasn't busy with her inner thoughts, she would've heard the sound of Tiburon's skull connecting with some hard surface repeatedly.

So her reaction remained a mystery to her.

"Don't forget about today's training." She stated, trying to occupy her mind with something else for the time being. "We've got a lot to cover."

"So I guess no Cero this time?" He said lightly, earning a ghost of a smile.

"Indeed, this session should be less... exciting." Tia agreed. "But important none the less. For we'll be training your Pesquisa. It will give you tremendous advantage in fights."

"Cool." Ichigo smiled. "Anything else?"

"Depends. If you master that quick enough, we can move to Sonido." She proposed. "Remember that we have test tomorrow, and you still haven't prepared for it."

"Oh come on!" Ichigo protested. "It's just some small test, nothing big!"

Tia gave him a full pointed look this time.

"Bah fine! Let's go straight to Urahara's then. Not point wasting time." He proposed.

"Very well."

The duo changed direction, and walked towards the shop.

Urahara's Shop

"….and she said those clothes were provided to me!" Yoruichi said in hysteric tone, giggling while Urahara chuckled. "It must been Gin! He was always the pervert!"

"You shouldn't be so hard on poor Ichigo." Urahara waved his fan.

"Oh but his blush was just too cute!" Yoruichi exclaimed.

Urahara raised his eyebrow.

'Nah, it's just her.' He chased a totally impossible thought away. "So how was school?"

"Meh boring, got a chemistry test tomorrow." She pulled out her note pad.

"Oh want me to help you? Chemistry is my gig, I can teach you!" He said with excitement.

"How difficult can it be?" She waved off his offer, pulling out a book. "I can have it done in five."

"Suuuurrrreeee." Kisuke said dejected. "I'll brew some tea."

He moved to the Kitchen, where to his surprise, he found Ichigo and Tia with Tessai.

"Oh hello. I didn't hear you come in." He said.

"Tessai let us in. We're here to train my Hollow powers." Ichigo replied, nodding for a greeting.

"Don't blow a hole in my ceiling this time." Urahara said dryly.

"Sure thing old man…. oh yeah that reminds me, got some time to chat Tessai? I have a few questions."

"Of course Ichigo-dono, ask all you need." Tessai rumbled.

"Maybe after training. I've got a really long list of questions." He smirked, before leaving the kitchen with Tia.

The good mood left with them.

"You think that he will ask?" Urahara inquired grimly.

"I know he will, and I'll tell him… the basics." Tessai folded his arms. "All that he needs to know for now."

"Is it wise?" The hatted man asked while pouring boiling water into a pot.

"It is necessary for him to know, since he got involved." Tessai sighed. "Let's just hope that we won't have any more breaches any time soon."

Before they could add anything more, a pissed off shout sounded throughout the house.

"Kisuke THIS IS STUPID!" Yoruichi definitely sounded aggravated. Making both men chuckle.

And the good mood managed to make it's stunning return.

Meanwhile below the house the Shinigami and Arrancar's swords clashed, creating a waterfall of sparks.

Nothing but pure swordsmanship.

The blades cut thought the air with insane speed, appearing only as blurs. Yet both opponents could clearly see them.

Despite saying that this training was supposed to be less exciting, Tia was still pushing Ichigo hard.

She wanted to bring some order and actual style to his swordsmanship. That way it wouldn't look like wild swings all the time. Yes he had excellent reaction time and reflexes to match, but he wasted way too much energy on unnecessary or to wide moves.

That and today she needed to vent some steam.

'Wow... she's intense today.' Ichigo mused when Tia's sword grazed his arm. He moved to the side and thrust his swords forward, forcing Tia to take a step back. Though not before grabbing his extended arm and pulling him forward, making him stumble.

One strong strike to the back caused him to fall face first on the ground. Ichigo rolled to his back, only to see the tip the sword above his head…. as well as a foot next to his head.

Tia's other knee was blocking Ichigo's sword arm, rendering him immobile. He should be worried that she had him on her mercy, but the position they were in put all those worries to the side.

His face turned red when he realized that his head was at her crotch level. He looked up and froze upon seeing her eyes.

They were glimmering with something primal, not threatening, but very intense nonetheless. Ichigo felt his throat dry up when she moved the blade off his face, and started to lean closer to his face. It got to the point where her braided hair trickled over his face.

Ichigo gulped, his proximity with such an exotic woman as Tia, was way too close for a virgin such as Ichigo. Blood started to flow to a certain part of his body, threatening to make the situation way more awkward.

'Oh you masochist slut! You got a boner from being pinned down and held at her mercy! HAHAHAHA! This's fucking gold!' Hichigo cackled. 'Wonder what she would think about this eh? Maybe she would like it, the silent types are always the crazy ones hahahah.'

Ichigo begged all known gods to not have Tia sit on his lap. He was miserably losing the fight against his body.

"You're too easy to see through, Ichigo." Tia whispered. The orange haired boy was hoping that she was talking about the fight. "Your attacks to straightforward."

"G-Got it." He shuttered uncharacteristically, sweating buckets.

Thankfully Tia stood up, and offered him a hand. Due to reasons he preferred sitting.

"Sooo maybe we'll start with Pesquisa?" Ichigo stated. "How about we sit and start on that."

Tia rose an eye brow at his sudden enthusiasm, but sat on the nearest rock anyways.

"Pesquisa is basically a pulse of Reiatsu that Hollows and Arrancars release to gauge opponents and estimated strengths. It's one of the fundamental skills to surviving in Hueco Mundo. Knowing the power level of your opponent will tell you whether to attack or retreat. The pulse you release goes through the air and reflects the moment it meets the spiritual being it reflected from. The more powerful the being is, the more potent the reaction."

"Sounds a lot like echolocation that bats use." Ichigo noticed.

"…Indeed." Tia took a second to recall the term and the animal he brought up. "The principle is basically the same, with the exception that you use Reiatsu and not sound. However that is a good comparison. Now that you know the fundamentals give it a try."

"Sure, that's easy." Ichigo released a pulse of Reiatsu. "Done."

"Did you feel my presence?" Tia said, doubt lacing her voice.

"….No? Wait that's not right." He frowned since he felt nothing.

"You can't just randomly release your Reiatsu. You have to control the flow, extend your senses into every particle." Tia explained.

"How can you do that? I mean in every single particle?" Ichigo scratched his head.

"Like I said, it's a very basic skill…. it will take time to master. Try again."

Ichigo tired, and tried, and tried some more. But he kept failing, and getting more annoyed with every failure.

"That enough for today." Tia finally decided.

"But I haven't got it yet!" Ichigo protested.

"You cannot master everything in one day. You need to be patient." She lectured him. "Let's call it a day, Ichigo."

"Maybe you're right… hey you want to learn something too?" He asked.

"What do you wish to teach me?" Tia asked, folding her arms under her breasts.

"Kido. I thought that if I could learn Arrancar techniques, maybe you can do the same with some Shinigami ones."

"Hmm, interesting." Tia mused. That would broaden her personal skill set by a large margin. And be a nasty surprise for Shinigami, if the things came to blows. "Very well."

"Perfect! Ok let's start with Bakudo 1: Sai. In a nutshell it forces the target's arms behind his or her back, and restrains them." Ichigo explained. "The invocation is simple…. Bind."

"Just one word?" Tia asked.

"Well yeah. It's the most simple spell in Kido, so no real need for a lengthy invocation…. Want me to show you?" Ichigo asked. "Or rather on you, if you don't have any objections?"

"Only if I will be allowed to do the same." Tia replied with a little bit of challenge.

"Sure. If you succeed that is." Ichigo smirked, and pointed a finger in her direction. " Ready?" Tia nodded. "Sai."

Tia felt an invisible force pull her hands behind her, yet she simply broke the pressure by applying a minimal amount of Reiatsu.

"Not impressive."

"I only used a small amount of Reiatsu. If I used more you would have a harder time." He told her. "But it's really simple. You just channel your Reiatsu, and use the word to give it an order."

"To give an order?" Tia frowned, puzzled.

"Yeah… something like that. I bet Tessai could explain it better, but that's it. The invocation basically shapes the Reiatsu into a certain bidding. When you're good enough you can skip the invocation without much loss of power."

"I see…" Tia pointed her finger at Ichigo. "Bind." Absolutely nothing happened. "Bind."

"Strange the stance is correct, and there's no way you're making mistakes in ther invocation." Ichigo frowned.

"Can you do it again?"

"Bind!" Tia felt a little annoyed now.

"Something is wrong with you." Ichigo's frown deepened. "I mean your Reiatsu, not personality wise." He quickly added when Tia gave him a frosty stare. "It's like the Reiatsu needed for spell is active, but for some reason just before it's done it…. stopped? Blocked?" He rubbed his chin.

"Stopped, how?" Tia inquired.

"Just before the spell fires your Hollow Reiatsu acts up and messes the whole thing up." Ichigo told her.

'Tiburon?' Tia asked.

'Hey don't look at me. I'm not doing anything!' Her Zapakuto said defensively.

'Ichigo, I feel that her Shinigami powers are repressed by her Hollow's. That's why she is unable to perform Kido correctly.' Zangetsu spoke up. 'It might be an unconscious act of her Zanpakuto, since their evolution was artificially sped up by the Hoygyoku.'

"Zangetsu has the same conclusion as me." Ichigo told her. "He also thinks that it's the Hogyoku's fault, since it forcibly sped up your evolution into an Arrancar."

"I see. Does he have any idea how to solve the issue?" She inquired.

'There is one way, but I'm not certain it that will work. We can enter her mind scape, and see what we can do from there.' Zangetsu proposed.

'Hmm good idea. I'll see what she says.' Ichigo replied.

"Well there is a way to check what is wrong…. but you would have to let us into your mind scape." Ichigo said awkwardly.

'OH MY KAMI PLEASE PLEASE PLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASE! Agree to it! I wanna meet Ichigo! Come on Ti-chan do it for me!' Tiburon squealed in excitement.

"I don't think it's a good idea." Tia said slowly, causing Tiburon to wail in despair.

"Of course. I don't want to invade your privacy." Ichigo said quickly. "Let's just forget about it."

"It's not that... my Inner Hollow is rather... eccentric." Tia ignored the enraged cries of said Zanpakuto.

"Surely it couldn't beat a psychotic savage, who wants nothing more than take over my body and use for his own sick purposes." Ichigo said way too casually.

Tia stared at him blankly, not knowing what to say.

"I see. Then if you're willing to invite me into your mind scape as well, I'll agree." She finally said.

"Good…Oi... Zangetsu, how do we do this?" Ichigo asked.

'You take each other hands, and enter your own mind scapes. With your physical contact a connection will be created.' Zangetsu answered.

"Ok take my hands, so we can create a connection." He said with a small blush. Tia wordlessly took his hands, noticing how rough they were despite his young age. At the same time Ichigo noticed how soft her palms were, even through her gloves. "Ok so let's now enter our mind scapes, and Zangetsu will take it from there."

They both closed their eyes, and entered their minds.

Ichigo opened his eyes, seeing a sideways metropolis with a clear blue sky. As usual Zangetsu was standing on his sword.

"Hey old man, where's the Hollow?" Ichigo asked while looking around.

"I'm holding him back so he won't interrupt the connection process." The Zanpakuto replied.

"Good, so what do I do?"

"Create a path from your mind to hers." He instructed. "Use the psychical connection and reach for her."

Ichigo reached out to Tia's mind, and started making the connection. Her mind submitted willingly, and let herself be pulled closer to Ichigo. When they were close enough, Ichigo formed a gateway that looked like a wooden door.

After a few seconds he heard a knock. He pulled the doors open and invited her in. She took in the scenery, and gave Ichigo quizzical look.

"Is there a reason everything is sideways?"

"The mind scape is a reflection of the soul Halibel-san." Znagetsu spoke. "It's a pleasure to officially meet you."

"You must be Ichigo's Zanpakuto Tensa Zangetsu, the pleasure is mine." She gave him a respectful nod.

"Pleasure is so the right word." A voice came from behind Tia. She spun around striking out with her fist, but Hichigo caught it easily. "Such spunk. I knew I liked you for a reason."

Tia's eyes widened when she stared at the demonic skull once again. This time the color pattern was reversed, making it mostly black. The Inner Hollow had long white hair, and was wearing a heavy coat with fur around his neck.

Hichigo reached to his mask and pulled in to the side, showing her the twisted version of Ichigo's face. He tilted his head to the side, staring deeply inside her eyes with a face splitting grin.

"I so very looking forward to savoring the moment when I take over and claim what's mine." He purred, sending a shiver down Tia's spine.

"Let her go." In an instant Ichigo appeared next to them, and grabbed his wrist. Much to his surprise Hichigo obliged, and let the Arrancar lady go.

"Geez I was just sayin' hello. No need to be so stiff Kingy." He laughed. "But I guess her presence has something to do with that, not that I blame you."

"S-Shut up!" Ichigo growled, causing his Hollow to cackle.

"Awww is Kingy embarrassed?" He mocked. "Well I would be too if I got a b-"

"Ichigo are you going to allow him to continue behaving like that?" Tia said with displeasure.

"He has no say in it sweetheart." Hichigo chuckled.

"I do, after all let's not forget who's the king, and who's the horse here." The young Shinigami snapped, glaring at his Hollow.

"Only for now Kingy, only for now." Hichigo said coldly.

An awkward silence fell on the group after he said this.

"Perhaps it is time to visit Halibel-san's mind." Zangetsu proposed with a cough.

"Yeah I think we've already spent to much time here." Ichigo muttered, giving his Hollow a death glare. "Let's go Tia, Zangetsu."

"Till next time Sharky." Hichigo pulled his mask back on, but his eyes never let Halibel's form. She felt his cold gaze all way into her own mind. While she wouldn't admit it aloud, she felt relief when she stepped onto the sandy shore of her own mind scape.

Unlike Ichigo's urban inner world, hers resembled an archipelago of tropical islands numbering in hundreds, and varying from tiny to large.

The sky was cloudless with a delicate sea breeze washing over them.

"Wow, nice place you have here." Ichigo whistled while looking around. "Way more pleasant than mine."

"I agree. Your mind scape could use some nature Ichigo." Zangetsu said with a small smile.

"Thank you." Tia replied, genuinely happy that they liked it. "Now I'll introduce you all to my Inner Hollow…come Tiburon." She ordered to seemingly no one. After a moment a figure started to emerge from the waves.

Tiburon, similar to Hichigo, was a carbon copy of its host, however the color wasn't the difference between the two. Tiburon looked like savage version of Tia. She had mouth full of sharp shark teeth, and grills on the side of her neck. Her tattoos were much larger, going down from her face to her chest, her ample bare chest.

Ichigo's eyes were glued to them, following their every bounce. The only saving grace was her wet hair that stuck to the skin and hid the most essential parts.

He held the urge to lick his dry lips. He was only a teenage boy after all. If an exotic, almost naked, wearing only a loin cloth, which didn't leave much to imagination, and a seductive smile plastered over her face. Any man would give her their undivided attention.

"Well hello there." Tiburon walked up to Ichigo, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her voluptuous breasts against his chest. "Welcome... mmmm" She pulled Ichigo into a deep, lust filled kiss.

The boy was so stunned by the sudden kiss that he let Tiburon do whatever she wished with his mouth. Not that is wasn't pleasant.

"TIBURON!" Tia uncharacteristically shouted, irritation and shock clear in her voice. "Stop that this instant!"

"Mhmm…." Tiburon broke the kiss, licking her lips after. She let the boy go, allowing him to fall on his butt, mouth hanging agape. "As sweet and innocent as I thought." She purred.

Ichigo spluttered something incoherent, blushing madly.

"Tiburon…" Tia growled in warning tone.

"Oh fine, you want him for yourself." She chirped, causing Tia's eyes to widen, and Ichigo to stare at her dumbly.

"Tiburon you will stop acting like a harlot, or I will send you away." Tia said slowly, clenching her fists.

"Bah fine!" Tiburon said exasperated as she walked closer to her host. "But you didn't deny it, Ti-chan." She whispered.

"May we return to the matter at hand?" Zangetsu spoke up, helping Ichigo to his feet.

"Oh pardon me for my rudeness tall, dark, and handsome. My name is Tiburon." She gave him full toothy grin. "Want a warm welcome too?"

"I have to decline I'm afraid." He said diplomatically. "We would like to know what's disrupting Halibel-san's Shinigami power."

"Oh that…" Tiburon suddenly lost her carefree mood. "I think it would be better if I just showed you." Ichigo and Zangetsu exchanged anxious glances. Tiburon motioned them to follow her. They all leapt into the air, and left the island.

After a few moments of flight the weather started to change on the horizon. The clouds had become black, the sea was restless, and a storm was ahead of them.

After a few seconds it had started to rain, hard. Thunder roared in the sky, and huge waves were flooding the smaller islands.

All that was nothing compared to what they saw next. A huge whirlpool was spinning in all its abysmal glory, with a thunderous sky above it.

Soaking wet the group watched in awe the majestic vortex.

"Her Shinigami powers are there." Tiburon said with a grim expression, clearly nervous.

"What is this place?" Ichigo shouted through the storm.

"This is the place where I was born." She looked at Ichigo with sad teal eyes. "This is where our despair lives."

"Despair?" Ichigo looked at her with confusion

"All Hollows are born from despair, Ichi-kun." Tiburon said sadly, looking into the darkness inside the void. "It ain't ever pretty, trust me."

"So I have a place like this too?" He asked feeling sick. The very vibe coming from this place sent shivers down his spine.

"Most likely yes. And like hers, it's on the very border of your mind. Shoved into the deepest corner, but probably not as…. spectacular as this one."

"I assume that her Shinigami powers are locked inside this vortex?" Zangetsu stated.

"Yup."

"Can we do anything about it, old man?" Ichigo asked.

"I'm not certain…We could try force, but I fear that the consequences of such an action would be severe. Remember, we are inside her mind." He looked at Ichigo seriously.

"Damn it… So basically you're saying that any outside intervention could cause damage?" He clarified.

"As I said, I'm not certain… If you are delicate enough you might awaken her dormant powers, but…" He trailed off.

"What?"

"Let's just say that being subtle isn't one of your strong points." A vein popped on Ichigo's head, but he had to admit that his Zanpakuto had a point.

Ichigo turned to the only member of the group that hadn't spoken yet, wanting to ask a question, but it died when he saw her.

Her eyes were wide with dread. Her whole body was shaking with violent trembles. Not to mention she was hyperventilating.

Ichigo flew closer to her, and put his hand on her arm. What he didn't expect was for Tia to jump like she was just burned, and swatted his arm away.

She looked at him like a cornered animal, clearly not recognizing his face.

"Tia?" He shouted through the storm.

He saw a flash of recognition in her eyes. She took a calming breath .

"Let's leave this place." She said through the rain. Without waiting for the rest she flew away from the vortex quickly, forcing the rest to chase her.

Tia started to slow down when the storm was nothing more than a mere shade on the horizon. She landed on some random island, waiting for the rest to catch up with her.

"Tia are you-" Ichigo started.

"I think it's time to return to real word." She said shortly, not looking at them.

"Ok… It was nice meeting you, Tiburon." Ichigo said, creating a door back to his own mind.

"The pleasure was all mine." The Inner Hollow replied, but her voice was rather subdued. "Keep her out of trouble, will ya?"

Ichigo nodded, sparing one last look at a distraught Tia, and went back to his own mind. Not waiting any longer than setting foot in his mind scape, he returned to the real word. Opening his eyes exactly at the same time as Tia.

She avoided his gaze quickly, and was about to break their hand contact, but he held firmly.

"You know that I'm here for you, no matter what?" He asked. "Don't you Tia?"

After what seemed like an eternity, she replied in a barely audible voice.

"I do…"

"Ok." He let her go finally. "Do you want to be alone?"

"I need to think….yes." She replied again, still not looking him in the eyes.

"Alright. Go ahead and head back home. I gotta talk to Tessai, and it'll probably take a while." Ichigo asked, worried for his friend. Tia gave him a hesitant nod.

They both went to the exit, neither saying a word. The time he spent with Tia taught him one thing.

When she needed her space, she should get it, or she would completely close herself up. That way there was a small chance for Ichigo to figure out what was bugging her.

He waved her off at the door, then with a sigh went to kitchen, where Tessai was cooking something, which looked dangerously spoiled. After all meat shouldn't be green.

"Oh Ichigo-dono! You're just in time for stew!" The man exclaimed.

"I'll pass Tessai, but thanks none the less." Ichigo put a fake smile on. "I hope you aren't busy, cause I got a lot of questions."

"I figured so, and I'm not, ask away, Ichigo-dono."

"What is exactly Pure Kido? Hachi mentioned it, but didn't have time to go into detail."

"The purest version of Kido…. those are the spells that exceeded the numeration, or are called the forbidden spells. The ones that are so powerful that they can cause untold damage, both to surroundings and user. While the spells from 1-99 are useful, their powers are nothing in comparison to the pure ones." Tessai made a hand seal, creating a sound barrier. "Time and space spells, advanced sealing, and barrier spells are the most dangerous kind. One wrong move and you are dead." Ichigo gulped.

"There was a rumor that the first Kido Commander knew a spell that could change the very essence of matter. Basically it could change the reality around them." Ichigo looked at the man with mouth agape. "But it was lost, and it's nothing more than a mere legend now."

"Wow… ok. What's the deal with the Captains' names?" Ichigo asked. "Hachi told me that for some reason they are erased, and something about names holding power."

"Names hold tremendous power, Ichigo… and within the walls of the Kido HQ you should be very careful whose name you are calling."

"What, why?"

Tessai sighed, thinking about the proper way to explain it.

"Ichigo what happens when the soul is destroyed?" He asked.

"Well…. hmmm it like, it disintegrates or something?" He replied, hoping he got it right.

"Yes… more or less. The Reiryoku that resides in our bodies leave and shatter, then merge with the Reiryoku of the Soul Society. While the very essence of the soul moves on in the cycle of re-birth. But in the case of Kido Captains, the matter is a little different. They are… connected to the building. Their Reiryoku is never shattered, just put into stasis." Ichigo looked at him with wide eyes.

"So they are alive!" He exclaimed, shocked.

"Technically yes, but in practice no. They're more like apparitions, fragments of the souls… or so I think. I don't exactly know myself. I would have to die to be certain. But I have two theories. My first theory is that those…apparitions are just imprints of the originals Captains. Just shadows that remained to guide future generations. The second one is that those are actual souls bound to the building. Something like a collective consciousness."

"So I'm going to be like some apparition?" Ichigo asked mortified.

"Not yet. You have to pass a certain test to be a true Kido Captain." Tessai stated

"What? I'm already the Kido Captain" Ichigo protested, making the older man chuckle.

"Only by nomination. You still have to prove yourself worthy to learn the pure version of Kido, and receive all the benefits. This test is a secret, only Kido Commanders and their most trusted Vice-Commanders know what it is. You will take it when Hachi and I deem you ready." Tessai looked at him. "But I think you will be able to handle it."

"This all sounds so insane." Ichigo stated incredulously. Tessai stood and began to take off his shirt. "Whoa whoa! What the hell are you doing!?" Ichigo shouted at the half-naked man, but his next shout died in his throat when he saw the tattoo on his chest. A rhododendron in a circle of some sort of Kanji. It was placed in the middle of his chest, and was fairly big. "What is that?"

"That is a contract Ichigo-dono. After you pass your true test, you will get the same. It will bind your soul to the building." He explained.

"I'm not sure if I want to be bound forever to some ancient building. Especially with a bunch of people I don't know." He stated, crossing his arms.

"As I said, I'm not sure if they are actual souls or not. I will probably go there first, so I will inform you about the details." He gave him a thumbs up.

"Ok so then why havn't any of them told you this already?" Tessai sweat dropped.

"They are quite a tight-lipped bunch. They never told me anything." Fake anime tears started to roll down his cheeks.

"So what exactly is this Test?" Ichigo asked rubbing his temples. The amount of knowledge was overwhelming.

"From what I've heard from previous Commander, every test is different, and I can reveal mine only after you pass yours." He smiled, while Ichigo cursed his damn luck.

"Damn, ok so then what precisely is a pure Kido?"

"Nomen Omen." He replied shortly.

"What?"

"The Name is a Sign. It was Latin hehe… Pure Kido is a level of Kido where you can manipulate the one and most basic thing in spiritual world: Reiryoku, at will." Ichigo looked at him and nodded.

"As you know everything in spiritual world is built of Reiryoku, be it the Soul Society or Hueco Mundo. The knowledge of Pure Kido lets the user manipulate that spiritual fragments, and create various things, from spells and barriers, to solid objects." Ichigo eyes widened. "Yes solid objects… The masters of the past could even create living things using their art."

"Mod souls." He whispered.

"Exactly, and that was just the tip of the iceberg." He smiled.

"I never really realized that Kido could hold so much potential… This much power… if it only.."

"Fell into wrong hands the results could be disastrous." Tessai ended his sentence. "That is one of the reasons why Pure Kido is limited to two people, the C.C. and the Kido Corps Commander-"

"I noticed that you kept calling them Commanders? Aren't we like Captains?" Ichigo interjected making the older man chuckle

"It's an old name. In my time it was the title of the head of the Kido Corps, and a good way to piss some uptight Captains off."

"Commander Kuroskai Ichigo." The young Shinigami tested the title." I like it. I think I'll bring that tradition back."

"I see you have the same opinion as I. Even when I was a Commander they tried to change it to Captain… but they failed." Both of them shared a snicker. "Hahaha. Okay back to the topic at hand. So you see Pure Kido enables the manipulation of Reiryoku, and creation of various attacks, from lightning to fire. While they aren't as powerful as the ones given by Bankai, it gives the user a wide range of skills. I will start teaching you this, after you complete the test."

Suddenly his good mood disappeared, turning to thoughtful.

"Ichigo." Tessai stared with such a deadly serious voice it scared the shit out of Ichigo. His eyes literally pierced Ichigo's very soul. Sitting in front of him now was Kido Corps Commander Tessai Tsukabishi. Ichigo suddenly felt very small.

"What I am about to tell you is one of the most guarded secrets of the Soul Society, and at the same time, the most incomplete one. The records of who they are were destroyed in the wars of the past, and nothing more than the legends remain…." He looked deeply into Ichigo eyes, and for the first time, he noticed that his eyes held power. It was literally flowing out of them, but what surprised him even more, was that his irises changed colors. For a moment they were green, then blue, and then brown, and on through the various colors. "The legend of how the Soul King was born." Ichigo's mouth hang agape, jaw forgotten.

"W-what?" He whispered.

"What I am about to tell you is how the being known as the Soul King came to be." He started. "No one really knows how much time has passed since that era, but in the beginning there was no Hueco Mundo, Soul Society, Hell, or Royal Dimension. That is where the Soul King residents now. All the spiritual world was united, so there was no need for the bridges between spiritual worlds. In the beginning that world was lawless, with wild souls and absolutely no control, it was pandemonium. In the time of chaos nine leaders emerged, and between them the mightiest was the Soul King. They managed to get a hold of the land, and bring it order. As time passed, the amount of impure souls was simply too great to contain, so they had to think of something else…"

"Hell." He guessed.

"Yes Ichigo-dono. They created hell for the damned souls to be punished and purified for their sins. They chose one of their leaders to be the first King of Hell. They used some rituals to create a barrier powerful enough to literally rip off a part of spiritual world and create a separate dimension." Ichigo looked at him like a five year old wanting to continue the story. "For next few millennium nothing extraordinary happened… but then the Great Catastrophe came." His face grew older. "The records are blurry at best about it, but something happened, be it a failed ritual or spell, and the world started to die. The earth stared to become barren, not producing enough food to keep the population. Fights started and the all-out war was on, but that was not the worst…." Ichigo felt an unspeakable sadness from him. "When I told you that this legend was about the birth of the Soul King, I didn't mention the other beings that were born with him… That legend is also about Hollows."

"It can't be…" To say Ichigo was shocked would be an understatement. He didn't even know what to do with this information.

"Yes, the remaining seven Kings were desperate to maintain their existence, so they came up with an idea. Why not feed on the Reiryoku of other souls? And they did it, they started to consume other souls. Soon others followed their trend. The Soul King was mortified. He couldn't believe what his comrades, brothers and sisters, had done. In a desperate attempt to save as many as he could, he created another ritual that separated the world again. He modified it so it had taken the remaining energy of the one half to another, healing the latter, and literally killing the other. Making it almost uninhabitable except for …" He trailed off.

"Hollows, and you're talking about Hueco Mundo and Soul Society!"

"Yes. I see you catch on quickly. He separated the worlds, leaving the remaining seven Kings, and their followers to die. It is said it was a hard decision, but necessary. The ritual exhausted him so much that he had to recover for a few centuries. In that time his followers stared to fight again. Many factions were created, and in that time war was a constant. After he woke up again he ceased all fighting, and united his people again. But this peace was short lived, because some strange creatures started to attack his world. It was then that the first Hollows were recorded. They came in number, and killed many people, feasting on them. After killing a few of them, and examining their bodies they came to a horrible discovery. They ate their own souls to feed their hunger." Ichigo eyes widened.

"Is it possible to eat your own soul? I mean it would kill you!" He stated.

"And what do you think was happening when you were training here to regain your Shinigami power?" Ichigo thought on it for a moments. He remembered that his Inner World was crumbling then, but he never would have thought that his soul was being eaten.

"I see you understand now." He continued his story. "Then the Soul King decided to call his most trusted men to find a solution. One of his sorcerers, our predecessor, proposed creating artificial soldiers to fight for them. Using their Kido they created the first mod-souls. And as always there was a peace for some time, but it would seem that their creations were too prefect. Mod-souls also had feelings, and they didn't wanted to be just tools of war, then to be throw away. They rebelled, but the rebellion was crushed swiftly. For the mod-souls weren't coordinated well. It was a valuable lesson for the Soul King. He ordered the destruction of all mod-souls." Ichigo cringed at that thought, thinking about his friend Kon.

"After that the Soul King called the leaders of the factions together, and gave them an order: To create an organization to protect souls from Hollows. The number of those factions was thirteen."

"The Gotei 13!" That was hard to guess.

"Again yes. That was the beginning of the Soul Society you know today, and the sorcerers worked as a branch of it, later known as the Kido Corps. The Soul King was pleased with this, and decided to leave ruling in the hands of common souls, and formed Central 46 to speak in his name. He once again created a new dimension, the Royal one, and retreated there. Leaving the Soul Society to itself, but guarding it at the same time. Not interfering since then, and the rest is just history." He finished with a loud sigh. Ichigo was looking at him like some sort of guru.

"So those Ancients are like the Soul King, but a twisted version?" He asked.

"Basically yes, and that's why it was made a secret. So the common people wouldn't fear that the Soul King would turn on them and eat them... You see why."

"So those Vasto Lorde's Tia and I fought were their servants?"

"Yes. You noticed that those Hollows were different from the rest. That emptiness you felt, that is what a Hollow is in that sealed dimension. The three most human looking ones were called the marked ones." He explained. "They are a higher tier of servants, granted additional powers from their Masters. From what you described those were weaker ones."

"Those guys were weak?" Ichigo's eyes widened. "Damn."

"Three marked ones, plus three Vasto Lordes, were most likely scouts." Tessai mused.

"Then how'd they get here?" Ichigo finally asked. "Shouldn't whatever the Soul King did hold them back?"

"That is a question I cannot answer for now. You will know more after you take the test, Ichigo." The man said firmly.

The young Shinigami sighed, rubbing his hair.

"What a mess. I feel like my head is going to explode." He sighed.

"Sleep on it Ichigo, but don't let it bother you too much. Also tell no one about this, I mean it." Tessai said deadly serious.

"Got it, thanks for sharing this with me Tessai." Ichigo stood up, and extended his hand for handshake. Yet that was not be.

In lighting fast move Tessai pulled Ichigo into a bear hug, squeezing the life out of him.

"I'm so proud of you Ichigo-dono! Don't worry, everything will be fine!" He exclaimed with tears sliding down his cheeks.

"I-I get it! My r-ribs!" Ichigo choked, feeling his eyes bulging.

"Pardon me." The large man released the poor boy.

"Once more thanks for sharing. I'll see ya around. Tessai-san." Ichigo told him, then left the building. About halfway home he recalled that he forgot to ask about unsealing the books, but he just shrugged it off.

'How hard can it be?' He thought idly.

* * *

A/N

Well another chapter out of the way! The mystery deepens giving more questions than answers! Stay tuned to next chapter and REVIEW!


	10. Forgotten Days

Chapter 14

Tia, as promised, returned to Kurosaki's abode. Heading straight to Ichigo's room while making an excuse about some test to study for. She needed some alone time.

She lay on his bed staring blankly at the ceiling. She didn't know what was happening to her. Her body turned hot and cold in the span of minutes. She started to feel nauseous, as if she had a cold slimy ball of something in her stomach.

She took a shaky breath, trying to calm her body down but all for naught. Suddenly she felt a wave of heat, stronger than previous ones. Her face turned numb, and the edges of her vision darkened.

Before she knew it she lost consciousness.

* * *

_Flashback - Hawaii, Honolulu 1912_

The waves gently hummed as they crashed onto the sandy shore. The day was almost windless and warm with a cloudless sky. The tranquil atmosphere didn't last long…

"Mommy, Mommy!" A slightly chubby four-year old girl shouted as loud as she could. "Look what I found!" The girl ran to her Mother as fast as her short legs could, to show her a red starfish with white stripes. The woman turned around to look at the sea creature.

"Tia.." The woman sighed with a smile, while ruffing the hair of the small blonde. "How many times have I told you to not to pick up everything from the sea. What if you touch a jellyfish and get burned?"

"But is sooo cute." Tia whined, pouting. Her mother laughed at her pout. She always looked so adorable when she did that, but Tia was not the only one who was "adorable"…

Her mother was simply astonishing. She was quite tall for a woman, around 165 cm, with long black hair, reaching beyond her waist. As a native she had permanently tanned skin. Not to mention she was very well endowed. But what really caught the attention of most the male population was her face. Roundly shaped, full lips, a small nose, and deep alluring teal eyes. With one glance she could make any man hers. She wore a loose white dress, showing a healthy dose of her cleavage and shoulders. Her name was Mano, which meant shark in Hawaii native language.

The sea creature glued itself to Tia's hand, and started to travel up, leaving a trail of slime on her forearm. Tia looked at it with fascination, giggling at the tickling sensation. Her mother sweat dropped at her daughter's antics. She tried to rip the creature off her daughter's arm, but the starfish was holding on tightly. She sighed again, and dragged her daughter to the sea to put her into the water. The starfish felt the environment change and let Tia go, swimming away.

"Bye, bye star thingy." Tia waved to the creature. Both of them walked back to the center of the flourishing city of Honolulu. Ever since the islands became a vassal of the US the place seemed to enjoy a golden age. The influx of merchants and tourists caused the local economy to grow at a breakneck pace.

However not everyone was happy about this occurrence. The native population of the island felt discriminated against by the new comers. A few years back the Americans pulled a successful coup d'état, forcing Hawaii's queen Lydia Liliʻuokalani to step down. The queen, wanting to prevent bloodshed, agreed to their terms, hoping that when her claim reached the US central government they would return her crown.

Sadly the US government had different plans, and proclaimed Hawaii a Republic, causing the royalists to take up arms and rebel against the new government. In the end they were swiftly crushed by the US forces, and arrested the former queen, cementing the fate of Hawaii monarchy.

The quite recent events caused a healthy, or rather unhealthy, dose of tension between the native and new population on the islands. Both sides were wary of each other, retreating to their own districts, and if possible, minimizing contact.

That is why people frowned on Mano and Tia when they moved to the district inhabited mostly by white people. Mixed marriages between natives and new comers weren't uncommon, but after recent events they were looked at with suspicions from both sides.

Yet no one ever said anything to the two, because of who their husband and father was.

James Smith was a rich and powerful man, owning one of the largest plantations on the island. Despite this he always treated everyone fairly, no matter his or her social status. He had blonde hair and blue eyes, standing at an impressive two meter tall height. He had an athletic body build, but he wasn't overly muscular.

One could ask how a normal native girl met with such an influential figure?

Soon after the Royalist Rebellion a group of American youths decided that it was time to teach the locals a lesson.

Unfortunately Mano became their first victim. Cornered in the back of the alley she pleaded for help, much to her captor's amusement. Their amusement quickly turned into terror when someone finally answered her call.

James Smith, seeing the defenseless woman with ripped clothes surrounded by bunch of men, could not withhold his anger and beat the living hell out of them.

After the deed was done he took his future wife to his home, and provided her with set of fresh clothes and an indefinite offer of help if she ever needed it.

From that point on things progressed quickly with them, and in a year they were married.

Despite the small scandal, the ceremony went on without a hitch, and James and Mano became a happy family. Even being blessed with a child a few months later.

Tia's first four years of life were probably the best she had. Being the daughter of one of the richest men in the region, and having a mother that absolutely adored her, made her a very happy child. She had everything she could ever dreamed of.

But all good things, sooner or later, come to an end. Her wonderful life ended as well. Tragedy struck at the beginning of the rainy season…

Within the first days of November, rain started to pour heavily. Forcing the whole family to stay inside. Mano was in the kitchen cooking dinner, while Tia and James were in the living room. James sat in the big armchair reading some book. Tia was lying on the carpet near the fire place, drawing some picture with crayons, and humming some song.

"Daddy look!" Tia pulled her Father's sleeve. The blonde man looked at his daughter, and took the piece of paper. It was a picture that showed three people holding hands. One small and two bigger, he guessed it was them. He chuckled, and took Tia onto his lap.

"So we have a little artist here." He smiled and kissed her forehead.

"No. I don't want to be artist, I want to be a Captain!" She exclaimed proudly. James rose his eyebrow, and looked at his daughter with a cocky grin.

"What would you do as a Captain, Sweetie?" Tia looked at him with a sly smile. She had expected the question.

"I would sail and fight pirates!" Her father started to chuckle.

"What about sea monsters?" He asked quietly and in a grave tone, looking at his daughter with a serious expression. Tia cringed under his gaze, looking at him with wide eyes.

"Sea monsters?" She whispered fearfully.

"Yes. Terrifying leviathans that could swallow whole ships. Like the monstrous octopus Kraken, with long tentacles that slowly wrap around you." He moved his hands to her sides. "And start to… tickle you." Tia burst into a fit of giggles when her father started to tickle her. She tried to run, but he prevented it. Mano came to see what the whole ruckus was about.

"James dear, stop teasing Tia." She told him with a playful smile.

"I'm not teasing her, I'm tickling her." He replied with a smug grin.

"Daddy hahaah stop hahaha can't breathe hahah." Tia choked between breaths. James stopped tickling her and let go. She ran to her mother with a squeal, and hid behind her, sticking her tongue out.

"Nanana. Now you won't catch me." Tia stated to make faces at her father

Her mother smirked devilishly.

"But I will." She copied what James did to Tia. After another tickling session, the family moved to the kitchen to enjoy their meal. Sadly they weren't destined to finish it.

Dinner was interrupted half way through by frantic knocking.

Mano stood and walked to the door. She opened it, finding her older brother Hale all drenched and gasping for air.

For a native Hawaiian he was tall, about two meters. Despite being in his late forties, he was still as strong as a bull. Years of hard work as a docker strengthened his body, giving him a muscular build. Working all day outside also made his skin a few tones darker than his fellow natives. His hair was still black, but you could spot gray hair here and there. His face was slightly primal, prominent cheekbones and a clearly defined forehead, made his face look slightly savage. This usually scared smaller children, but you couldn't find a more gentle person on this island than him. His sparkling brown eyes indicated that they belonged to some youngling, always having a spark of mischievousness to them.

"Brother why would you even think of-" Mano started, inviting him inside.

"No time! A Tsunami is coming!" He yelled, urging her inside. James and Tia came to see what all the commotion was about. "James! Get dressed and come with me, the waves are coming quick!" James eyes widened. He quickly sprang into action, grabbing coats. After they quickly dressed, he took a frighten Tia in his arms and left his house with his wife, and brother-in-law.

They ran to higher ground, where the storm shelters were located. The typhoon was growing ever stronger and more vicious with every passing second. Thunder roared in the dark sky, with lightning illuminating it. Just as they managed to get a little higher the first tsunami wave hit.

A two story high wave got through the storm shafts, and hit the coast with its full power. It destroyed the harbor, and carved its way through the land.

A second wave hit soon after the first, and almost washed out the group. They knew that they didn't have much time left before the main wave hit. Suddenly Mano slipped in wet mud, and slid back down the path. At the last moment she managed to catch a nearby tree trunk, just above a vicious current of water.

"MANO!" James yelled in terror. He handed a crying Tia to Hale. "Go!"

"I won't leave my Sister!" Hale tried to argue.

"Take her to the shelters! We will be right behind you!" He looked to Tia. "Mommy and Daddy love you honey." He kissed her forehead. "GO!" Then he ran to his wife.

"Daddy!" Tia tried to free herself from her Uncle's grasp, but he held her firmly. He gave James one more look before turning away.

"Bring my Sister back." He said, then he took off as fast as he could toward safety.

Meanwhile James ran down the slope as fast as he could, but he was cautious so that he wouldn't share his wife's fate. He got as close as he could, but there was no way of reaching her. Mano was holding the trunk of the fallen tree, and below her was the deadly current. In a moment of genius he unzipped his belt and threw it to the side to her. She managed to catch it, and James pulled her to safety. She hugged him tightly, crying into his chest.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry…." She apologized.

"It's ok, you're saf…." He paused when lightning illuminated the sky once more, revealing the main wave. It obscured the horizon. The wave was at least fifty meters tall.

"Fucking hell…" James cursed.

When Mano saw the wave she started to cry harder. She already knew that they wouldn't make it, and because of her James was going to die too, leaving Tia to become an orphan. James hugged her even tighter.

"Shh. It's ok." He whispered into her ear.

"James it's all my fault." She choked. They had seconds before the wave hit. "I.." She tried to speak again, but was muffed by James's lips.

"You've made me the happiest man in this world." He breathed into her mouth.

'Thank you.' She thought closing her eyes, feeling safe in her husband's arms, despite everything else. 'Hale please take care of Tia…'

The humongous mass of water fell upon them, killing them in an instant.

* * *

_Tia and Hale,_

Hale, with Tia in his arms, ran into the shelter, slamming doors behind them. The long run up to the mountain had him worn, and the moment he crossed the threshold of the shelter he fell to his knees. Tia used the opportunity to free herself. She ran to the doors, but some villager stopped her. She started yelling that her parents were still outside and needed help.

When they refused to let her out, she fell to hers knees and started to wail loudly. Hale had collected himself from the ground, and took her into his arms. He swayed her slightly, trying to calm her down.

"Hush sweetie, everything will be alright." Tia held him with all the might that a four year old girl could muster, crying loudly. After what seemed like an eternity, she finally exhausted herself and fell asleep.

He looked around the shelter, seeing horrified people inside. He knew that this was just a fraction of the population, but many more than he imagined. He cradled his niece in his arms, walking deeper into the shelter.

Each thunder boom could be heard clearly, causing people to gather in small groups and talk in hushed voices.

Before he made it any deeper into the shelter one of the US soldiers stopped him. He was a dark haired man with impossibly pale skin for the region, and piercing blue eyes. Rather short, but wide in the shoulders. He recognized the Lieutenant from the garrison. He was James friend, and from what he heard, a good man.

"You're Hale right? Mano's older Brother right?" He asked looking at the sleeping Tia in his arms.

"That I am, and you are?" He asked, shaking the man's hand.

"John Westwood…. where are James and Mano?" He asked carefully, looking at the older man before him.

Hale grit his teeth and looked at the sleeping child, feeling what happened finally hit him. He just lost his sister and brother-in-law.

Just like Tia a few minutes ago, tears started to slide down his cheeks.

John closed his eyes, feeling his heart ached painfully. James was a good friend of his.

"If you ever need anything, and I mean anything, just ask." He said, putting his hand on Hale's shoulder.

"Thank you." He choked out.

Slowly the memory started to blacken. Tia's mind went blank for a few moments, until she realized that someone was touching her.

Her eyes flew open, ready to strike, only to stop at the last second when she realized that she was staring into familiar worried brown eyes.

* * *

_Streets of Karakura._

Ichigo left the shop trying to process the massive amount of information that Tessai handed to him. Saying that he was overwhelmed would be an understatement.

He put his hands into his pockets, and slowly moved towards his home, wanting to give Tia her desired space.

He sighed, wondering what he'd gotten into this time. If what Tessai said was true, then if whatever was stopping those ancients fell, all would be lost.

Not a very optimistic thought.

Another sigh escaped him. If only there was some way to get rid of those beings….

"Attention!" He heard the shout, before a pair of feet firmly planted into the back of his head. The poor boy fell face first on the ground; eating earth.

"Gah! Rukia! What the hell!" Ichigo snapped, spitting dirt.

"You were walking with head in clouds. You should be more vigilant!" She exclaimed.

"Vigilant of what? Hollows aren't that subtle." He stood up and dusted himself.

"Well how about a rouge Arrancar trying to sneak up on you?" Rukia stated, looking in his eyes.

"You really think that any of them would be that stupid?" Ichigo laughed.

"If you say so. So how have you been, we haven't spoken much recently." She said with a slight pout.

"Sorry about that. The last few weeks have been hectic." He rubbed the back of his head. "We can go grab something to eat or drink tomorrow, and have a chat if you'd like. Or, even better, meet me in Soul Society and save me from all that damn paper work!" Ichigo suddenly said genuinely happy.

"Wow. Nice to know you'd use me as an excuse to get out of filling paper work." Rukia snapped, folding her arms.

"Of course not! It's just making our meeting even more beneficial." Ichigo replied.

"It seems that your vocabulary has broadened since last time we spoke." She chuckled.

"Ehh. You know a Commander's life is busy…" He started.

"Ichigo you're a Captain, not a Commander." Rukia pointed out.

"Tessai told me that his official title was Commander. I thinking of giving that tradition a shot." He smirked.

"You're doing it just to piss off the rest of the Captains, aren't you?" Rukia deadpanned.

"Maybe." He shrugged.

"You're a moron and baka." She told him casually.

"You're a midget and annoying."

"Bad tempered and foul mouthed."

"We're both like that."

After his comment they both burst out laughing.

"I missed our little back and forths." Rukia said.

"Awww you growing soft on me?" Ichigo smiled, putting his hand on her arm. Not aware of shudder that went through young Shinigami's body.

"I might have in some very distant way formed a tiny soft spot for you Ichigo." Rukia said with a smile. "I can't believe that just a few months ago it all started."

"Yeah. So much has happened that it feels almost like a few years have passed." Ichigo told her idly.

"Do you sometimes regret getting into all of this?" Rukia asked. "You know the whole Shinigami business?"

Ichigo mused over the thought. Thinking about how his life would've gone without the whole supernatural side. Yet his answer was quick.

"Nah. I mean getting cut more time than I can count, and going through insufferable pain majorly sucks, but I wouldn't have met half the awesome people I have."

"So you think I'm awesome?" Rukia pressed.

"In your own way." He teased, earning a light punch in his shoulder.

"I hope so! Or else…" She left the threat hanging, but the smile on her face told him a whole other story.

"I feel intimidated." Ichigo told her.

"You should." She smiled triumphantly. "I have to finish my patrol, but I will visit you in the Soul Society."

"You didn't need to make it sound like threat." He smirked. "See ya around Rukia."

The raven haired Shinigami jumped into the air, disappearing from view a few seconds later.

Ichigo looked after her with a small smile, continuing his way back home.

When he reached his house he noticed a light on in his room. Breathing a sigh of relief, he made his way to his room and gently knocked on the door.

After a minute of silence, he decided to go in.

"Tia, I'm coming in." He said slowly opened the door. He half expected her to be just pulling off her skirt, like some sort of crappy Anime, but what he saw worried him.

Tia was wriggling on his bed, eyes shut tight, and all drenched in sweat. She was breathing heavily and mumbling some incoherent things, while gripping her sheets.

What caught his attention most was the fact that she was crying. Tears were rolling down her cheeks in constant streams.

The moment of shock passed, and Ichigo was at her side. He started to shake her, hoping that she would wake up from whatever she was dreaming about.

"Tia come on, wake up. It's just a dream!" He gave her a firmer shake.

Her eyes snapped open, and her body tensed, ready to strike in an instant. Only the fact that she seemed to focus and recognize Ichigo saved him from a painful punch to the throat.

"I-Ichigo?" She asked weakly.

"Yeah it's me, Tia. I'm here." He said soothingly, seeing how frail she looked now. He helped her sit up, witnessing how desperately she tried to calm herself down.

Ichigo didn't know why, but the expression on her face reminded him of the times when his sisters were very young and hurt themselves. Tia had the same kind of incomprehension and pain in her eyes.

His instincts took over, and he pulled her into tight hug, wrapping his arms around her. Just like with his sisters he started to gently caress her hair. That always worked wonders with Yuzu, and even Karin.

He heard that Tia's breath calm down, but he keep hugging her. He would do it as long as she needed.

While Tia wouldn't admit it Ichigo's hug helped to calm her nerves. She didn't even know that she needed, no craved for that kind of comfort. She felt safe in his embrace. Not to mention the petting he was giving her was pleasant.

They remained in that position for few minutes, until Tia decided that it was enough. She moved gently, signaling him to break the hug. Ichigo, as a gentleman, instantly obliged breaking the hug, but he kept his hands on her shoulders.

Tia felt ashamed that he saw her in such state, not once but twice now. She never wanted the ocean of pity she was seeing in his eyes now. Yet she also saw anxiousness in them. He was waiting for her to tell him what was wrong.

A few months earlier she would never do it, instead keeping it all to herself, but now? Before she even knew it her words spilled from her mouth.

"I remember…." With those three words the dam was broken and she spilled everything she could recall. Ichigo's eyes were widening with every sentence that came from her mouth. It was unheard of that Hollows remembered their past, not to mention in such detail.

"All those feelings….all their intensity…. It came back to me as if it happened yesterday…" She finally said. "I apologize for my state."

"Good lord Tia, you don't have to apologize for anything!" Ichigo said passionately. "I'm the one who should apologize! If not for me you would probably have never remember anything!"

"But now I know who the faces belonged to….I remember…James Smith and Mano Smith…her maiden name Halibel….I remember my parents…." That realization hit her stronger than she expected. "I had an uncle too, and a home… I had a home…"

Ichigo was at loss of what to say. He couldn't even fathom how she felt right now. All her loved ones dead for over a century, her home probably long gone.

"You HAVE a home Tia." That was all he could say, yet he did it with as much conviction as he could muster. "And a family."

Her head snapped up, her gaze meeting his. Suddenly she felt a lump forming in her throat, new unexpected emotions blossomed in her chest after his declaration. Not wanting to break in front of his again, she quickly stood up shaking his hands off.

"Shower…." She managed to say before she left the room in hurry, a bewildered boy still in the room.

"What the hell just happened?" Ichigo was left confused, while Tia took a very cold shower. She need to return to controlling her emotions… and her body.

She didn't know whether it was a loss of her parents or accumulated emotions, she wanted comfort from Ichigo. She wanted for him to hold her tightly, and say that everything will be ok.

But even worse had been the urge she felt after he used the word family.

She wanted to kiss him.

There was no mistaking it. She just wanted to lean forward and capture his lips with hers.

The feelings that she knew she had were now ten times as powerful as before. She didn't know why it was happening, but if she didn't do something about them….

'No I can't…. It's not proper.' She took a deep breath. 'Besides he's probably not interested in me anyway…' She tried to reason.

She managed to mute Tiburon's enraged shouts, as soon as she felt the killing intent from her Hollow.

Not even a bit happy by her conclusion, she finished her refreshing shower and returned to the room to find Ichigo sitting on his bed, obviously waiting for her.

"Soooo…" He trailed off. "Feeling better?"

"I am well… now." She replied. "You have my thanks for…being here."

"Good... that I managed to be here." He said rubbing his neck nervously. "I'll take a shower now too. It's been a long day." He stood up, and left the room leaving Tia behind this time.

She simply walked to the bed and fell flatly on it, holding in a groan. That conversation was so horribly awkward.

'Why do such things always have to happen?' She mused. Knowing Ichigo, he'll be walking on egg shells around her, like she would be about to break down in sobbing mess any second.

She needed to really rein in her emotions. 'When did this became so hard? Why do I feel so much all of a sudden?'

These question plagued her mind for some time now.

Sometimes she missed Hueco Mundo. Things were simple there, kill or be killed. No emotional dilemmas, no tears, no nothing.

Just pure survival.

Plain and simple.

But now she had to deal with all these feelings that she barely understood.

'But isn't it worth it?' She thought, running her hand through the sheets. She had a real home now, with people who treated her as if she was one of their own flesh and blood. She made some friends, and even developed an interest in reading books. She felt truly alive for the first time in a really long while.

Though she also made another far less pleasant discovery. Namely the relationship with her fraccion. It wasn't friendship as she previously imagined. True friendship could only exist between two equals.

What she had with her fraccion was merely a very close superior-subordinate relationship. Looking at their past interactions, they were never as open or bold towards her. Always holding a respectful distance between them.

This realization made her sad that the best she was able to have then was a mere shadow of friendship.

She sighed again.

It looked like today was a day for revelations indeed. If there was one thing to come out of all this mess, she could be happy about was the fact that she now knew her parents…. and that they loved her.

Due to the time spent with Ichigo's family she often wondered if her parents were like Isshin. Loving his children unconditionally, or alternatively abusive. She couldn't even describe the joy she felt when she remembered that.

Yet that's why the pain she was feeling now was that much stronger. She heard the door opening and felt Ichigo's eyes on her back. She could feel his awkwardness, not that she felt any different.

She rolled on her side, and looked deeply into his eyes.

She noticed that he flushed under her intense stare, his eyes avoiding hers.

"Let us get some sleep, Ichigo." She finally said. "We'll talk tomorrow."

"Y-Yeah good idea." He pulled out his futon, and a few minutes later the lights went off. Yet the cover of darkness hadn't given Tia any comfort.

She went through every scrap of her new found memories, greedily taking in as much of her old life as she could.

Due to that she couldn't fall asleep, and just kept rolling from one side to the other.

"Can't sleep huh?" Ichigo spoke from his futon.

"I apologize for disturbing you." Tia replied in embarrassment.

"It's ok, after Mom died I couldn't sleep either." He said surprising her. It was very rare for Ichigo to bring his mother into any conversation. "Had to many thoughts to sleep peacefully."

"How did you cope with your loss?" She asked right off the bat, sounding way too anxious.

"I had my family to back me up."

"Oh…." She felt dejected, she had no family left…. unless. 'No I cannot ask that of him. He will take it the wrong way….'

'DO IT! For Kami's sake do it! This is the best idea you've had!' Tiburon urged dramatically.

'I doubt that he would accept.' She replied with a small sigh.

'I bet if that Yoruichi skank was here he would have jumped at the occasion. But I guess if you're to much of a coward to act, then maybe it's better for her to have him.'

Tia frowned, she never liked being called a coward. What's more the mention of a woman that paraded naked before Ichigo caused a surprising pang of jealousy.

Calming herself down, she decided to try. It's not like the things could get anymore awkward today right?

"Ichigo, you said that I have a family, right?" She asked, trying to sound calm.

"Of course. Me, Dad, and girls are all your family now." He replied instantly.

"Then... I have a request…." She bit her lip, trying to form her request in the least awkward and suggestive way possible. "Will you sleep with me?"

And failing miserably at it.

"Of cour- WAIT WHAT!?" Ichigo literally jumped out of his futon, staring at Tia in horror. Even in the dark room she could see his fierce blush.

'WOOOOOOOOOO! Went straight for the throat! Go get him Ti-chan!' Tiburon cheered. Even the playful Inner Hollow was surprised by her host's forwardness, intended or not.

Tia blinked. Realizing just how… inviting her statement sounded. Her cheeks colored despite her best effort. She cursed herself for making the situation even more awkward.

"T-Tia you can't mean…." Ichigo stuttered, surprised by how much…. he wasn't against it. After all he was a teenager, and his roommate was, by any standard, a stunningly beautiful woman. But he was totally not ready for this.

"I said it wrong! I just wanted for you to share a bed with me." Tia replied quickly, causing the poor boy to blush even more. Tia mumbled a curse at her second slip of the tongue. 'What is wrong with me?!'

"I-I-I….we should at least…you know….be together before that?" Ichigo choked, causing Tia's blush to intensify.

'He didn't oppose to the idea.' A stray thought passed through her mind. 'Does that mean that he….' She hadn't dared to finish the idea. In her state the implications might be…. far-reaching.

Calming herself for the for the umpteenth time today, she decided to give it one more try. Before she decided to bury herself out of shame.

"I want you to just lay next to me…. and sleep…. that's all." She said as clearly as she could. "This is not an invitation for illicit happenings."

"Ah…. Ok… that I can do…." He replied lamely, wiping his forehead of sweat….and shoving the tiny, basically not existent feeling of slight disappointment into the very corner of his mind.

He slowly made his way to the bed. Tia moved to the far side to give him space. Ichigo lifted the covers and laid down next her.

For some reason the bed suddenly seemed way to small. They both lay in total silence, staring at the ceiling, even more unable to sleep than before.

She started to regret this idea, but now it would be simply childish, not to mention rude, to tell him to get out. So she just had to survive the night, and horribly awkward next day.

Suddenly she felt a hand closing around her own, giving her a gentle squeeze. She looked to the side, surprised by the very bold gesture.

"No matter what problems you have…. I'll be there for you." He said through the embarrassment. "I promise."

While she couldn't see his eyes, she knew that he was looking right into hers. She opened her mouth, but no words came. Again his sincerity, the warmth in his voice, stunned her.

She didn't even notice the moment their fingers intertwined.

Taking the silence as acceptance Ichigo released the breath he was holding and calmed down. He relaxed and finally felt sleep coming to him.

Tia was in similar state too. The aching in her chest lessened considerably, replaced by a warmer feeling. Something akin to inner peace.

She felt her eyelids grow heavy, threatening to close. Tia gave Ichigo one last gentle squeeze, as if to confirm that he was still there, and allowed her mind to drift into land of dreams.

* * *

The Next Day,

The sun shone through the window, slowly illuminating the room. Tia stirred from her deep slumber feeling strangely warm, not to mention a bit restrained.

Also, for some reason her pillow was slowly rising and falling….

Her eyes snapped open as she realized in whose chest she was now cradled. Ichigo's arms were around her, keeping her firmly pressed against him.

Tia tried to think of a way to wriggle out of this situation without waking him up. This was bound to get awkward again.

But the she noticed something else. Something that seemed to poke her belly….

Tia stiffened when she realized what it was. Now it was imperative to get out his embrace, or they wouldn't be able to look at each other for a good long while…

'Don't wake up.' Tia mentally ordered him, gently trying to get out of his arms. Painfully aware of how that brushed against her belly. The fact that her pajamas were rather thin, and he was wearing boxers, certainly hadn't helped. 'Don't you dare wake up.'

She started to slowly untangle herself from the sleeping boy. Trying not to think about the object poking her, every time she moved.

As usual things didn't go the way Tia wished. Ichigo took a deep breath, slowly opening his eyes. He stretched at the same time, inadvertently pressing himself against Tia.

The first thing he saw was a sea of teal staring right back at him. Not to mention that he felt her warm breath on his face.

He wanted to greet her as per usual, but realized two things. He was currently hugging her very close to him, which happened to make her rather sizable assets pressed to his chest.

And what was much worse…. he was so very hard at his particular moment.

He was aware of this, and if the way Tia was looking at him was any indication, she was too…

'Damn she's so soft…' His mind betrayed him, wandering into places it absolutely shouldn't. Predictably his body quickly followed suit.

His little Zanpakuto twitched.

Tia inhaled sharply, eyes widening.

"GYAH!" Ichigo screamed in less than a manly way, literally jumping out of bed. Somehow, call it inadvertent guilt reflex or sheer prudishness, he landed on the floor already prostrate. "I'm so sorry!" He pushed off the ground to show her the sincerity in his eyes.

Tia stared at him in silence. Ichigo, despite his utter and absolute embarrassment, followed her line of sight… which went straight to his waist.

Blushing to the near breaking point, he sprinted to the door and snapped it open in desperate attempt to save what remained of his dignity. He ran outside his room, tripping over something almost instantly. He fell face first on the floor.

Looking back to what caused his fall, he hadn't excepted to see the sobbing mess that happened to be his father.

"DAD! What the hell!?" Ichigo exclaimed.

"My son… I'm so proud..(cough)… you finally shared a bed with a woman…." He looked at him with deadly tired eyes. "Now I can rest in…."

"What's the ruckus about, Dad?" Karin walked out of her room, rubbing her eyes. Suddenly Isshin moved with inhumane speed, grabbing his son and throwing him inside the bathroom, shutting the doors behind him with a loud thud.

Karin was way too young to be seeing that. Even more so with that fact that Ichigo was her brother.

Isshin vowed to keep the innocence of his two daughters for long as possible, and those that would keep him from doing that….

"Nothing Karin-chan! Ichigo just tripped hahah! You know how he is in the mornings!" He waved her off and quickly moved downstairs. He spared one last look inside Ichigo's room, giving Tia a thumbs up.

The Arrancal lady gasped, but it was too late to explain the misunderstanding, as Isshin had already disappeared.

Tia looked out of the window with faraway expression on her face. Yet another regular morning in the Kurosaki household.

She wasn't even aware that she was smiling.


	11. The game began

Chapter 11

Yoruichi felt that something had happened, it was as clear as day to her. Her eyes traveled from Ichigo to Tia, almost seeing the tension between them.

The two couldn't even look at each other without Ichigo blushing like a maiden, and Tia's face remained as impassive as possible.

She snuck a peak at Rukia, noticing that the girl had been glaring at the blonde Arrancar. The curiosity has been eating her alive for a few hours now, since neither of the duo wanted to say what transpired.

'They didn't bang, nah not that kind of vibe. Besides she would have to force herself on Ichigo to get results.' Yoruichi rubbed her chin. 'Maybe I should just be blunt about it? After all he squirms so cutely.'

Somehow Ichigo felt her wicked intentions, and looked at her only to receive a kittenish smirk and wink.

Blushing he turned his attention to the board again.

This was one of those days that he wished he lived as a hermit in the middle of nowhere. After the morning's "incident", Isshin tried to give the two of the "talk". Making the situation even more uncomfortable for them.

But the worst part was that Ichigo was starting to see things… or at the least that's how he rationalized it.

Because there was no way that Tia would be even remotely attracted to him. Had he misinterpreted the long stares she sometimes gave him when he pretended to not notice. Or that she was way more casual with psychical contact than before. Ichigo blamed his hormones. No one couldn't say that Tia wasn't stunningly beautiful, and it was only natural that such a bombshell in near vicinity of a teen male would make nature take its course. At least he managed to master the art of not staring at her curves every time there were on display. Tia had quite the liberal sense of clothing fashion, and wore the style quite often.

Ichigo sighed. He hoped that lunch break would give him a much desired…

"Kurosaki-kun…would you go out with me after school!" Orihime asked with a flushed expression. Almost as soon as Ichigo crossed the threshold of the hall. Which was instantly filled with gasps.

'peace…' He thought numbly, looking at the blushing girl in shock. 'Did she just asked me out? Oh hell, what to say? It's Friday and I have to go to the Soul Society today, but I can't just brush her off like that…' Only then he noticed Rukia, Yoruichi, and Tia staring at him.

Goodbye peace.

"Sure Inoue, but only for a few hours. I have to go you know where today." He gave her an apologetic smile, rubbing his neck. He might as well of said that he just won a lottery and was giving her the prize.

Inoue's face beamed with pure joy, as she clasped her hands together, pleased.

"I'm so happy Kurosaki-kun!" In the spur of moment she wrapped her arms around his neck, giving him a tight hug.

"G-Good." Ichigo stuttered, awkwardly returning the hug, his cheeks redder. "See you after school then?"

Inoue nodded eagerly, and quickly returned to Tatsuki and the rest of the girls, a face splitting smile on her.

Tatsuki caught Ichigo's eyes, and gave him a thumbs up with a Cheshire grin.

Suddenly Ichigo felt the dire need to change his location, as three pairs of eyes started to bore a hole into his head.

"Errr I'm gonna go meet with guys. See ya later!" Ichigo made a quick escape, leaving the three ladies alone.

To say that they were shocked would be the understatement of century. No one expected timid Orihime to act in such a way.

While Rukia and Yoruichi planned on making their respective moves soon, Tia was still in the dark in about the matter. She thought that she had time to dwell on her new found feelings, and how to maybe signal them to Ichigo somehow. She wasn't expecting that the very next day Ichigo would be asked out.

She knew enough of the Human World that such an invitation would mean…

A rival had arrived.

**'Grrr it's always the quiet ones.'** Tiburon growled angrily. **'Why the hell wasn't it you?!'**

'I only recently realized my… attraction to him.' Tia told her.

**'I call bullshit. You were just in denial because of some hidden complexes. Now look what happened! You can say bye bye to your chance!'**

'One date won't change anything.' Tia replied hesitantly.

**'Sure... because it isn't the classic childhood friends set up.'** Tiburon sneered.

Tia couldn't reply to that. Looking at the other two women she could see the same frown that was now adorning her face.

'Make it three rivals.' She thought dryly. While Yoruichi was more obvious in her intentions to everyone, except Ichigo, Rukia was much more subtle in her approach. Limiting herself to simple gestures and kind words, but the urge to get closer was obvious.

True to Tia's theory Rukia and Yoruichi were in the same state of shock towards Orihime's sudden boldness. They realized that her best friend, Tatsuki, was probably a major reason she suddenly grew a spine.

That was unexpected, and needed to be addressed as soon as possible. Else the consequences would be dire….

Meanwhile on the school's roof Ichigo was telling Ishida what happened, since Chado was there when it happened.

"What do you plan to do then?" The Quincy finally asked.

"What do you mean?" Ichigo asked confused.

"Ishada probably means whether you want to continue to push it, or drop it." Chado clarified.

"I don't know… I mean I've known Inoue almost all my life, but I don't know if I like her that way…" Ichigo sighed.

"You better straiten things out fast." Ishida said. "The sooner you come to a decision the better."

"Why?" Ichigo narrowed his eyes.

"Many reasons actually. If you drag this out for to long Inoue will get her hopes up, and then if you decline she will be devastated… Even more than if you gently reject her now." He explained.

"That's one reason, what are the others?" Ichigo asked with narrowed eyes.

The two other boys exchanged a look.

"It's not our place to tell you." Chado said diplomatically. "But, well, like Ishida said you should make up your mind about Inoue. It would be best for all of us…"

"What's that supposed to mean!?" Ichigo exclaimed. "It's not like me going out with Inoue is gonna be the end of the world."

Both boys sent him deadpan looks.

'You have no idea…' They thought in unison.

"You guys are pissing me off." Ichigo stated, glaring at them. "Whatever. I still think that you're overreacting…" Ichigo grumbled and walked towards the roof access. Ishida and Chado followed him silently.

A few floors below they heard a commotion.

"Extra! Extra! Ichigo Kurosaki was just asked on a date by his classmate, Inoue Orihime! Read more on page 11 of Karakura High Newspaper!" The head of the Newspaper Club announced. Around him was a sizable crowd of students, and even some teachers wanting to get their hands on the newest piece of gossip.

"SERIOUSLY?!" Ichigo exclaimed, drawing the crowd's attention. "Don't you have anything better to do than to butt in someone else's life?!"

The choir of no's killed him a little bit inside.

The rest of the day was even more annoying.

Students were gossiping behind his back, but that wasn't the strangest part. For some reason Yoruichi and Rukia became rather cold, more so in Rukia's case. Yoruichi simply teased the hell out of him, but it lacked her usual cheerfulness.

Tia on the other hand regressed to her former self, positively becoming mute. She seemed to ignore Ichigo for some reason, only responding when asked a direct question. Even then the answers were short and flat.

'Great… and I still have to go and deal with this Soul Society crap.' He sighed.

When the bell rang Ichigo steeled himself, pushing his nervousness aside. He knew Inoue all his life, and there surely was no need to worry... right?

"Let's go Kurosaki-kun!" Inoue chirped, wrapping herself around his arm. Ichigo felt his face heat a little when Orihime's rather generous bosom touched his body. "I have a few things planned for us."

Followed by murmurs they left the school hall together, reinforcing the circulating gossip.

Tia gave a few curt nods to their friends and left for home as well.

"Well I think it's time to return to Urahara." Rukia said, idly fiddling with her backpack.

"Yeah, I think so too." Yoruichi agreed, looking at her nails. "But I have something to do."

"What a coincidence me too!" Rukia gasped. "It seems like I have to head into to city center…"

"Oh my, me too!" Yoruichi chirped with a sly smirk. "Maybe we should go together?"

"I think we should." Rukia returned the smile.

'Old Lady/ Flatchest.' They thought respectively. A tender alliance was made.

* * *

City Center

"…then the spell broke, and it exploded in my face!" Ichigo said throwing Inoue in another fit of giggles. "Still I think I'm getting better every day."

"Of course you are Kurosaki-kun, you're talented." She replied with a smile, sipping her coffee. "You will be a master in no time!"

"Thanks, I really hope I will." Ichigo returned the smile. "At least then my men would really start to respect me."

"Oh? The last time I was in the Soul Society you were a hero." Inoue inquired surprised.

"Don't get me wrong, they respect me. They all know that I can beat any of them. But it's more like… slight disappointment." Ichigo rubbed his chin. "Almost everyone in my squad knows Kido better than me, and I'm their Commander, so you know…."

"But you've only just begun learning it!" Inoue stated, with a rarely seen passion. "They should give you more time!"

"Like I said they're not bad, and they know that I'm learning. Hachi told me that they're still quite scared about their division getting disbanded since their Commander is lacking. That's bull of course, but they are cautious." Ichigo explained.

"I see. How are the rest of the Captains treating you?"

"Some better, some worse." He shrugged. "Guess this's all new to them too." He chuckled.

"Well you tend to drastically change the lives of people around you."

"Hey! You know I'm only the victim of circumstance here!" Ichigo protested.

"Sure~ Always in the wrong place at the wrong time." She teased.

"But I always try to make the best of it." Ichigo smirked.

"Yeah, you seem to excel at the impossible, Kurosaki-kun."

"Says the one who can literally can bring back the dead." Ichigo stated. "How's training those skills coming anyway?"

"I learned a new trick or two. I can now create and maintain a healing sphere twice as large, for twice the amount of time!" She admitted, with no small amount of pride.

"That's awesome! I knew there was still a lot to discover about your powers!" Ichigo told her with genuine happiness at her progress.

The duo was blissfully unaware of a pair of eyes watching, and ears listening to their every word. Dressed in inconspicuous coats and hats, and totally not suspicious glasses or fake mustaches, Yoruichi and Rukia observed the date.

"This disguise is ridiculous!" Rukia shouted/whispered.

"You don't understand the fine art of hiding in plain sight, it's perfect!" Yoruichi replied, listening to the conversation. To her delight it hadn't left the "safe" area. So by now it was nothing but a meeting between friends.

'You might have acted first, but you have no idea how to proceed, eh?' Yoruichi eyed the girl. Despite her apparent calmness, Yoruichi could see the nervousness creeping through her mask.

"She looks like she is about to confess." Rukia muttered.

Indeed Inoue was mustering all her courage to finally confess her feelings to her long time crush.

"Kuro-"

"Change! Nabikanai nagasarenai yo ima kanjiru koto ni sunao de itai no!" Ichigo's phone rang.

"Sorry I need to take this." Ichigo apologized. "Wassup Hachi, what's the... OH hell I forgot!" Ichigo exclaimed. "I'm so sorry Inoue, but I need to get to work asap!" He pulled out his wallet, and through a rather large bill on the table. "See ya around!"

Without much ado he ran out of the cafeteria, leaving a shell shocked Inoue behind. The moment the dust settled, Ichigo's disappearance finally hit her.

SLAM!

Orihime's head connected with the table.

WHAM!

Her fist did so too.

The process repeated few times until the teary eyes girl pulled out her mobile, and called her best friend Tatsuki. After a quick explanation Rukia and Yoruichi could hear angry cracks from the phone, promising Ichigo a world of pain.

While both of them felt pity for the poor girl, they couldn't be more happy at the outcome. A kiss would complicate their plans immensely.

Ichigo's denseness worked to their advantage. Since he would probably misunderstand any romantic attempt as friendship. No, a more direct approach was needed to crack that nut.

* * *

1st Squad HQ

The Captains gathered before the usual meeting with bored expression's on their faces. Nothing was going on, yet they were forced to meet up and give boring reports, that their subordinates could very well supply. The only reason some of them were attending was the newest addition to their group, namely Kurosaki Ichigo.

Watching him stumble along and make mistakes of protocol was somewhat entertaining. Almost as much as watching him learn Kido.

The meeting was starting in five minutes, yet there was no trace of the young Shinigami.

"Is he really going to be late for this meeting?" Shinji complained. "Isn't there like a shit-load of books riding on this?"

"Even if he makes an appearance he will not break the seals protecting these books. I've been trying for over a century." Mayuri stated idly. "The boy won't be anywhere near the level of knowledge needed for it for a long time."

"Who cares. Let's just get it over with. I've got better things to do than stand here all day listening to your whining." Zaraki grumbled.

"It's not like anything interesting will happen-"

As soon as those words left his mouth a Garganta opened in the middle of the waiting room. Streams of white steam poured out from inside.

In an instant all the Captains had their weapons bared at the black shadow that jumped out of it.

"I'm so late- WOAH!" Ichigo narrowly avoided death by impalement. "What the hell guys!?"

"My my. You shouldn't enter the Seretei with that, Ichigo-san." Unohana said sheathing her sword. "Some might mistake it for an Arrancar attack."

"Really? What Arrancar would be stupid enough to open a Garganta right on the Captain Commander's doorstep?" He asked rhetorically.

"I see one standing before me." SoiFon growled, still pointing her sword at his chest.

"Hey SoiFon can you cut that shit out?" Ichigo asked almost politely. She glared at him for a moment, and followed suit.

"Remember Kuroskai, I'm watching you very closely." She stated with disdain.

"One: It's Commander Kuroskai to you." He smirked, remembering a certain white-haired Captain that constantly nagged him about it. "Two: I wasn't aware that I had a personal stalker." He felt a little bit of satisfaction when a vein popped on her forehead. More so when some chuckles came from the group.

"I'm not a stalker!" She yelled at him, fury in her eyes.

"You could've fooled me." His smile widened, much to her ire.

"Remember, I can finish you in two moves you... you dirty Hollow." She snapped, her voice dripping with venom. Insulting not only him, but the rest of Visored present. Ichigo's smile fell, and his eyes narrowed dangerously. The temperature seemed to drop a few degrees.

"What makes you think that I will let you land even one blow on me?" He asked, making her gasp. Insulting her pride as an assassin was… unforgivable, but he wasn't finished. "If I recall correctly, that little trick of yours couldn't do shit against Aizen…" He trailed off. SoiFon's face turned red with anger. Ichigo had hit her most sore spot. That was stain on her assassin's pride, which could never be washed away. She glared at Ichigo, eyes full of hatred.

"Sting all enemies to death, Suzumebachi!" Her sword changed its shape to a black and gold gauntlet, with a small chain linking to the stinger-like blade on her middle finger. "Then let's test how well it works on you then." She charged him, aiming for his heart.

A few Captains were ready to interfere, but what they saw next shocked them completely. Ichigo straightened his right, and had taken the hit on his open palm. Surprisingly the black tattoo didn't appear on his hand.

SoiFon's blade could pierce his skin. Unknown to them, Tia put extra effort on strengthening his Hierro. Aka beating him until he didn't feel a thing. She also taught him how to harden the part of his body he was utilizing right now.

Ichigo grabbed her hand in an iron grip, and lifted her from the ground. Soifon stared into his eyes with surprise and shock, having a hard time comprehending what was happening right now.

'It's time to teach this bitch a lesson.' Ichigo though with a rare malice. It was time to show off his Kido skills a little. Albeit this spell was the only one of it's level he mastered.

"Seeping crest of turbidity. Arrogant vessel of lunacy! Boil forth and deny! Grow numb and flicker! Disrupt sleep! Crawling queen of iron! Eternally self-destructing doll of mud! Unite! Repulse! Fill with soil and know your own power…." He stopped when he felt a hand on his shoulder, gentle yet firm. He turned his head and saw Unohana with her small smile… yet he could fell that she was tense.

"Ichigo-san, I think you've already made your point. Why don't we all cool down before something that we would all regret happens?"

"I was just kidding around." Ichigo let the stunned female Shinigami free.

"Interesting sense of humor, yours." Rojuro said. "To pretend to hit someone with a level 90 Kido."

"Oi Ichigo, when did you learn to do Kurohitsugi?" Kyoraku asked.

"Oh, that, probably when Aizen tried to kill me with it." Everyone present sweat dropped. "Then Hachi asked me to do it, and with few pointers, I managed to pull it off correctly."

"Wait! You can cast a level 90 spell already?" Toshiro said with a rather large amount of shock, and a tiny bit of respect…maybe. "You've been learning Kido for only three months at most."

"Yeah, that's the only high level spell I can do. I'm actually stuck at fifty something right now." He rubbed his head slightly embarrassed, unaware that his progress was simply amazing in the everyone else's eyes. Well except for Zaraki, because in his humble opinion Kido was for weaklings.

Before anyone else managed to add anything more, the doors to the meeting room opened. The crowd of Captains moved inside, taking their usual places.

"The meeting has begun." Yamamoto announced. "But before we move to the main topic, I'd like to ask what the commotion about?" He looked at Ichigo, and then to SoiFon.

"It was about a reckless usage of Hollow powers." She stated.

"What did he do?" He asked with sigh. She opened her mouth to speak, but Ichigo was faster.

"I got here through a Garganta. Otherwise I would've been late for the meeting." Ichigo interrupted.

"That's it?" Yamamoto asked incredulously. He was far too old to deal with such minor trivialities.

"Captain Commander-sama you can't be serious! How can you tolerate such blatant usage of Hollow powers by that…" She stopped when she felt Ichigo's gaze on her.

"Why do you have such a problem with using Hollow powers for the good of the Soul Society." Ichigo inquired.

"So you wouldn't have problems with letting, let's say, an Arrancar into our ranks?" Shinji asked casually. Ichigo had to use all his will power to not to snap at the blonde Captain.

'What the hell is he thinking- oh wait… ah I'm such an idiot! Thanks Shinji.' Ichigo reminded himself to buy him something nice in future. "If I knew and trusted them, then no I wouldn't." He replied. The other Captain gave him perfect occasion to test waters for eventual discovery of Tia.

"Hmph, trust a Hollow. That's absurd." SoiFon snorted.

"I agree. It's impossible to befriend a Hollow or Arrancar. They are nothing but beasts that should be exterminated." Byakuya added.

"That didn't stop you letting Nel go, did it?" Ichigo shot back. Byakuya lost his famous composure for a moment.

"I deemed her harmless, besides I had much more pressing matters to attend then chasing after weak opponents." He replied stoically.

"So would you think when I let you know that you just let the former Tercera Espada go?" Ichigo asked. He felt little bad about using Nel in such a way… but it was all for Tia. Still he felt bad about it.

"What? You cannot be telling me that that child was an Espada?" Byakuya asked eyes wide. "Impossible."

"Her mask was broken by another Arrancar, and her Reiatsu leaked from it, forcing her to revert to a child-like state to survive. Though she can regain her powers for a moment when they are needed. Thanks to her I'm still alive, and yes, I would gladly accept a person like her into my squad." Silence followed his statement. Some of the Captains looked at him with awe, others with anger, and some with interest.

"Ichigo, I think you went too far." Toshiro told him. "You know that you can't negotiate with Hollows." Ichigo recalled that he fought Tia, so he decided to take a risk.

"Then tell me, you fought with the newest Tercera Espada, yes?" He nodded. "What was she like, was she a beast that should have been slaughtered?" He was treading on thin ice here, but the insight might be worth it.

Toshiro looked at him, thinking about the answer. The opponent he fought was different from what he expected. He thought he would be fighting a mindless monster, set on killing everything in its sight, and yet she was disturbingly… human. He saw the pain in her eyes when her Fraccion had fallen. The pain at Aizen's betrayal as he cut her down. None of it had anything to do with physical pain. On the battlefield she didn't behaved any differently than a Shinigami.

"No she wasn't. If I didn't know any better, I would say she wasn't really any different from us." His statement shocked the other Captains, as well as Ichigo. He was sure that Toshiro would deny it and go with the mindless monster version. Ichigo grinned inside, he just got a potential supporter for Tia's case.

"But that doesn't mean I would agree to let her join the Soul Society." Ichigo's inside grin faded.

"Tsk, you're just some Hollow lover." Kurotsuchi snarled. "They are only good for experiments... it's a pity that I couldn't recover the Tercera's body from the Human World. It would surely provide many interesting results." Ichigo felt righteous fury building. The very thought of him laying his dirty hands on Tia made his blood boil.

"Don't get me wrong." Ichigo started. "There is no love loss between me and Hollows… after all one of them killed my mother." He paused, looking directly into Kurorsuchi's eyes. "But I also heard that a certain now-dead Shinigami Captain let said Hollow loose on her." Some of the Captains looked at him with wide eyes. "So tell me, who I should blame for her death? The mindless monster, or the ones that pointed it at her?" He asked rhetorically.

A pregnant silence followed this sentence, and some of the Captains had the decency to look ashamed for not exposing Aizen earlier.

"Kurosaki Ichigo, I believe that the grudges with Aizen are resolved." The Captain Commander told him. "You had your revenge."

"This isn't about revenge. Such things won't bring her back. What I'm trying to tell you is that you shouldn't judge others because of the race they belong to. I know that Hollows aren't the most lovable creatures, but the Hōgyoku changed all that. The borders between Shinigami and Hollow were dissolved, and you can see the results of that standing in this very room. In Hueco Mundo I had met many Arrancars, and I dare say that some of them were quite decent people."

"Kurosaki we have not gathered here to discuss Arrancar." Komamura stated.

"Indeed." Byakuya supported. Ichigo looked like he was about to say something more, but he decided not to.

"True, but before we get to retuning my property, I have one more matter to bring up." Ichigo said. "Can we get a table and set of chairs in here?"

Silence fell after he uttered those words.

"Kurosaki yet again you do not understand the value of tradition." Byakuya nagged him.

"Really? Tradition of what? Training our leg's muscles, or having to hold everything in our hands?" He asked rhetorically. "I want to put forth a motion to include these, Captain Commander-sama."

The old man sent him heavy look, but the law was the law.

"All in favor of Captain Kurosaki's motion?" He skipped the usual ceremony, since there was no way that his soldiers would trample the long and honored tradition of…

Only Byakuya, Kurotsuchi, Soifon and Hitsugaya were against it.

"The motion has... passed." Yamamoto glared at the blasphemers. "From this time forward we shall have these at our meetings…"

'Is he pouting?' Stray thoughts went through gathered heads.

"Now onto the matter at hand. Captain Kurosaki are you ready to unseal the book?" The Captain Commander asked.

"I think." Ichigo replied, totally lying. He hadn't had the faintest idea on how to unseal the books.

"He thinks." Kurotsuchi mumbled, throwing the book at him.

"Hey! Careful how you treat MY property." Ichigo snapped, catching book and examining it. It had a brown cover, and was about 800 pages long. On the cover Ichigo could see various seals. He guessed that it was these that prevented just anyone from reading them. He opened the book and stared at the blank pages.

'So that's how it works. It does not prevent then from opening the book, but hides what is written in it. Clever.' He thought.

* * *

Urahara Shop

"Achoooooo!" Tessai sneezed.

"Bless you." Urahara replied automatically. "Someone talking about you?"

"I doubt it, and if so, probably someone not worthy of my attention."

* * *

Ichigo suddenly felt very pissed, but didn't know why. It wasn't from the fact that he hadn't even started any lessons on seals. He could seal and re-seal the drawers in his desk, but that was more like using a remote than anything else. He looked at the book from every angle, feeling the stares of the rest of the Captains.

'So embarrassing.' He thought. He decided to push some of his Reiatsu inside and see what happened. When he began the seals started to glow, but aside of that nothing had happened. He added more, but the seals only started to glow brighter. As he stopped the lights dimmed.

"Hmmm." He started to scratch his chin.

"Ichigo-san do you know what you are doing?" Ukitake asked.

"Absolutely... not." He deadpanned. "I haven't learned seals yet."

"So I see that we are wasting our time here." Byakuya stated.

"Now probably yes, but in two months I could probably crack it." He replied offhandedly, still deep in thought.

"Right! Like a brat with no experience could open it, where the greatest mind in the Soul Society couldn't." Kurorsuchi mocked and gloated at the same time.

"I don't recall Urahara-san trying to open it." He shot back, making the pale Captain inhale sharply. He was about to retort when Ichigo raised his hand to silence him.

Ichigo closed his eyes and extended his senses, he immediately felt the other Captains, but he wasn't looking for them. He ignored their auras and focused on the one in his hands. Then he felt it, small but there it was. He examined it closer, and found it was a Reiatsu of some kind. He had a distant idea that he knew it, but he couldn't place it. Then he did the smartest thing that came to his mind today… he tried to rip it apart using his power.

An electric shock came as soon as he did, almost knocking him unconscious. He gasped and let the book out of his hands.

Everyone noticed his sudden movement when the shock hit him. Kurosuchi grinned, he knew what had just happened. A fail safe.

"That friggin hurt!" Ichigo grumbled aloud. Now he knew how it felt to be shot by a stun-gun.

"That means you failed right?" Shinji asked, and Ichigo nodded. He looked at the damn book, and couldn't help feel that this vile object was mocking him.

'Wait, what?' He thought, then and he got it. He knew whose Reiatsu it was… he had enough training with Tessai to recognize his work. But there was something more, something almost independent from his signature. Similar yet different at the same time.

"Ok, I think I have a way to get it working." Ichigo stated, a smirk forming on his face.

He has deduced that if the object is able to mock him, it was sentient or at least half-sentient. He approached it once again, but this time he tried to resonate with the Reiatsu.

He succeeded.

The whole world around him turned into a gigantic library, with bookshelves reaching to the very sky. He looked around seeing the shelves continued on to the horizon.

A silhouette started to form in front of him, appearing as a ball of white light at first. Then it exploded like a flash bang, blinding him for a few seconds.

After his sight returned Ichigo couldn't believe what stood before him…

Captain Unohana!

"Unohana-san what are you doing here?" Ichigo asked, flabbergasted by her presence.

"I'm not Unohana… I'm Hana, Guardian to Knowledge, Zanpakuto of Tessai-sama." The Unohana-like person replied.

"Wait you're his Zanpakuto!?" Ichigo uttered. "Why do you look like Unohana? And why are you here?" He bombarded the sword with questions.

"I won't speak about my wielder's preferences." She replied with shrug. "I am here because he tasked me with protecting all the knowledge gathered by the Kido Corps, from falling into the wrong hands."

"But how can you make a Zanpakuto protect and entire library like this?" Ichigo asked.

"The explanation would take to long. So let us just say that it has something to do with my abilities, plus a few trick he picked up over time." Hana explained. "So what I can do for you, young Commander?"

"Can you lift the seal on the books that Kurostuchi stole." He asked hopefully

"No. Only the Kido Corps Commander has the right to read this book." She replied instantly, killing his hope.

"But I am a Kido Corps Commander!" Ichigo protested, pointing to his Captain's Coat.

"Negative. You haven't signed the contract." She smiled at him.

"What contra…" Then he recalled his talk with Tessai about the previous Commanders and the tattoo. "Oh that. I'm well on my way to get that, so how about you open this one now, and the rest after I get it?" He tried to reason with her.

"I cannot do that." Came her short reply.

"But then the Kido Corps will never get the scrolls and books back! That maniac Kurorsuchi will keep them forever!" He yelled. To his surprise Hana's face turned into a snarl.

"I see... You want me to lift the seal on this particular book, yes?" She asked.

"Yes."

"Only on this one?" She asked again, Ichigo nodded.

"Fine. I will comply, but I will do it on two conditions." Ichigo nodded again.

"One: You will tell them that this book is called "The Mechanics of Sacrificial Kido"." She told him.

"What's the real title?" He asked curious as to why he had to lie.

""Flames of Rebellion" by Date Muramasa." She said gravely.

"Why do I have to lie?" Ichigo inquired, failing to see why this book was so important.

"Because this book was banned, and almost every copy destroyed." She told him with a sad expression. "This is the last one, and original at that."

"Why?" Ichigo pressed.

"Because it tells the history of rebellions and uprisings throughout the centuries in the Soul Society."

"So? I heard the same thing in my lessons." He replied, not seeing the reason why such a book was banned.

"It is written by one of the rebels, and shows their side." She looked at him with pleading eyes. "Please don't tell them that it survived."

"I promise." He replied instantly. The very idea of destroying books, just because they didn't fit the current policy line, repulsed him. He remembered the saying, if you forget history you are condemned to repeat it. "What's the second condition?"

"You will have to do me a favor." She told him with a sweet smile.

"Sure." He replied instantly, slightly charmed by her smile. Surely it wouldn't be anything major from such sweet and caring sword spirit.

"Are you sure?" She asked to confirm it, a gentle smile building on her face.

"Anything you ask." He promised, certain that it would be something innocent…

"Ok." She grabbed the edge of her coat, and in one swift move she took it off, revealing a tight leather suit.

It was all black, with long gloves and thigh boots. Aside from that she had only leather panties and a matching bra. If there was a floor Ichigo's jaw would've surely hit it, and gone through it.

"HA-HA-HANA-SAN! What the hell is this?!" He asked blushing madly. She lifted his chin with the tip of a whip she literally pulled out of nowhere.

"It's Mistress Hana to you pig!" She licked said tip, smiling in a way that only Unohana could.

"Wha?-"

WHACK!

"Obey me slave!"

WHACK!

"IT HURTS!"

Meanwhile the Captains in the meeting room were witness to a whole array of emotions on the young Shinigami's face.

They watched Ichigo's changing facial features with immense fascination. From shock, confusion, slight anger, to confusion again, and then utter and total terror. He opened his mouth in a silent scream.

The second it happened the booked glowed with a golden light, showing the seals around it. The marks pulsed a few times before finally breaking down.

"It appears that he managed to break the seals." Ukitake said with surprise evident in his voice.

"Impossible! How could this brat manage to achieve in minutes what I couldn't in decades!?" Mayurai howled with anger.

"That brings us to the question who the real genius is, eh Kurotsuchi?" Unohana said with satisfaction.

"Yeah, but what the hell is wrong with him?" Shinji waved his hands before Ichigo's eyes, not getting any reaction at all. "It's like he's in some sort or trance." He looked at Ichigo's face, which had an expression he really couldn't place… like if he saw something so absurd that it fried his brain. In that very moment Ichigo eyes flew open, and he let out surprisingly girlish scream. He started to hyperventilate, having a mini panic attack.

"Oh God Oh God!" He chanted trembling all over.

Unohana placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. He turned his head toward her, and she gave him a reassuring smile. She couldn't anticipate his reaction.

Ichigo's face morphed to the one of pure terror and horror.

"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" He screamed like a man possessed, and preformed a Shunpo at a speed that would put Youruichi to shame.

Unohana just stood there with her hand in place where Ichigo's shoulder used to be, mouth slightly agape.

No one dared to speak for a few minutes after his exit. Everyone tried to comprehend the what they just saw.

"That was interesting." The silence was broken by Kyoraku. Everyone else nodded in agreement.

"I agree, but I hope that we won't have to look for a new Kido Commander. Whatever happened hit him pretty hard." Kensei stated. "Aside from that, since he did break the seal, that means that the library is going back to him, yes?" He asked the Captain Commander.

"That is correct. Captain Kurosuchi prepare to transport all scrolls and books you confiscated two hundred years ago… all of them." He stressed the last part.

"Right away, Captain Commander-sama." The pale Captain replied through his teeth. A vein pulsed on his forehead

"Now let's continue with the meeting…."

* * *

Kido Corps Headquarters

Hachi had been drilling Roja, Hashiro, and Shinda since the morning. They all proved to be excellent students, and he was happy to see their progress. He was just about to call a break when he felt Ichigo's Reiatsu approaching. He turned and saw Ichigo Shunpo to the field.

Ichigo strode up to him, and just as Hachi was about to greet him, pushed the book into his hands giving him a look with haunted eyes.

"You didn't see me." Then ran into the main building, activating all the defenses on his way. All his officers looked at him with mouths agape.

"What the hell just happened?" Shinda asked.

"Dunno, but man he was freaked out." Hashiro replied.

"Wonder what could scare him so much that he'd practically isolated the whole building." Roja deadpanned. "Now we can't get inside."

"Don't worry. I will deactivate them… soon. Have the rest of the day for yourselves." Hachi said walking towards the building.

"What if our Commander need us?" Roja asked. He really didn't like leaving people in need to themselves.

"I'm sure Hachi can handle it, don't worry." Hashiro told him.

"Me too. So I don't know about you, but I'm going drinking!" Shinda told them with a grin. Hashiro smirked and Roja rolled his eyes.

"Good idea, count me in!" Hashiro accepted his offer.

"Kami! Why did I befriend alcoholics?" Roja complained to the sky.

"Nah, don't sweat it, someone has to bring our drunk asses back here." Shinda patted his shoulder.

"Yeah and watch you so you don't do something stupid." He grinned. "Like that paint balloon you threw at Zaraki. You're lucky that he didn't found out that it was you."

"Ha next time I'll fill it with pink paint." They left for the bar, leaving the pink haired giant behind.

After five long hours Hachi finally managed to bypass the defenses, and only thanks to knowing the patterns. He once again marveled at the mastery of the old Kido Commanders.

He spent two hours looking for Ichigo, only to find him in the showers. He was washing himself intensely, mumbling something about being filthy.

He managed to convince his Commander to go to his room and lie in bed. He tried to ask what had happened, but failed to get anywhere.

After a while he just let the teen sleep, unaware what was happening in poor boy's head…

* * *

Ichigo's Mind Scape

**"Please tell me are you really gay, or just mentally retarded?!"** Hichigo yelled sounding furious.

"Leave me alone!" Ichigo snapped in an almost teary tone.

**"I would if not for the fact that you acted like a pussy all day!"** He roared.

"Screw you, I'm a victim of a rape! She violated me!" He yelled back.

**"Stop exaggerating. There's a difference between kinky sex and rape."** He replied sounding nonchalant.

"She tied me up! I begged her to stop! I don't see the difference here!" He started to tremble.

**"Kami you're so pathetic. A hot chick just did you, and ya cry like a little bitch."** He face palmed.

"I didn't plan to lose my virginity like that!" Ichigo shouted back.

**"You technically did a chick, and you're crying about it!? What is your damage?"** Hichigo was on verge of tearing out his hair.** "Besides a part of you enjoyed it!"**

"What!?"

**"You could have stopped it the very moment the seals were broken, but you let it continue few moments longer"** His grin widened. **"The only reason that you didn't enjoyed it was that it was that you weren't the one who did the dominating. If she was groveling at your feet, and calling you master..."** He trailed off letting that information sink in. Surprisingly, Ichigo had to admit that his Hollow was right. Ichigo blushed fiercely at that realization.

**"Ha! I see you finally turned your imagination on. Hey let's make a deal.**" He suddenly proposed.

"What deal?" Ichigo asked, not sure if this would end well.

**"Next time ya will try to unseal those books, and she appears, you switch with me."** He raised his hand to stop the wave of protests. **"No rampage, killing, or the other stuff you puss out on. Just let me deal with her, and in return, while I'm dealing with her I'll show you a few tricks."** He grinned, and extended his hand.

"How do I know you won't hurt her?" Ichigo knew that she was an artificial being, but still.

**"Oh come on! I may be a psycho, but I'm not a sadist... much. I promise I won't hurt her… much."**

"I know that I'll regret this, but fine I agree. If you break our agreement, or start hurting her, I will immediately take control." He shook his hand firmly.

**"Deal!"**

"Deal." With that Ichigo disappeared from the mindscape.

_"I have to say, I'm impressed. You handled this trauma pretty well. Maybe you should became a psychiatrist."_ Zangetsu suggested with a slight smirk.

**"Nah, I like hurting people too much. I helped him cause I was afraid that he would seriously become gay from this."** The Hollow shook his head in disappointment.

_"You wouldn't like that, huh?"_ Zangetsu pointed out

**"No, but you wouldn't like it even more."** Hichigo gave him his trademarked grin. Zangetsu's smile fell when the implications of his words hit him.

Hichigo bust out laughing.

Next Day

Ichigo had finally left his room. He was feeling a lot better, and he had to admit, his Hollow would make one hell of a psychiatrist. Doing some quick stretches he got up and went to the dining room. His men looked at him funnily, but didn't made any comments. He saw Hachi and went to sit next to him.

"Hey." Ichigo greeted.

"Good morning Ichigo… how are you?" Hachi asked looking a bit wary of him.

"Good. Better than yesterday." He replied.

"So care to tell me what happened?" Hachi asked with some concern. Ichigo sighed and summarized everything, excluding the most hardcore parts of his deal with Hana.

"So she asked for a favor huh?" He asked with grim face after Ichigo finished.

"She did." Ichigo replied. "Wait you didn't…"

"Yes, I did her a favor too… I sympathize with you." Ichigo gave him an incredulous stare.

"Let's not talk about it ever again." Ichigo proposed.

"Agreed… and about that book, you know it's illegal?" Hachi quickly changed the subject.

"I know, I was… informed." He shuddered.

"I see. So what are you going to do with it?" Hachi asked.

"Unless you're going to tell, I'm gonna read it." He smirked.

"Hmmm, tell what?" He grinned.

"Exactly. Anyways what about the rest? Have the books been delivered?" Ichigo asked.

"It will take some time. The amount is simply staggering, but we got the first shipment." Hachi explained. "Oh, that reminds me, we will need more recruits soon. We're still horribly understaffed, also you will need to consider appointing a vice-commander, and the seated officers."

"Can't you become my Vice-Commander, Hachi? It would help me immensely." Ichigo said.

"True, but it would also undermine your position. There are whispers about trying to make me a Commander of Kido Corps."

"Why am I not surprised?" Ichigo sighed. "Still I need to find someone I can totally trust. Where do you think I should look for recruits? The next batch of academy students is still a year off. Not to mention I took a look at the next year's finest from the academy, and they are mediocre at best. All of them look like spoiled brats from the rich houses. They have no back bone at all." He furrowed his eyebrows, recalling all that wasted time to find suitable officers.

"Maybe you should look around the Rukongai's lower districts. I recall that some of the best Shinigami came from there." He proposed.

"Hmmm, you may be right. If I remember correctly, Hashiro, Roja and Shinda came from seventy something."

"Yes. Sadly life in those districts is hard, but it creates perfect situations for Shinigami. The people there know how to survive." He told Ichigo.

"Hmm. I got two more days here, and if I leave today in the late afternoon, I should have over a day and half to look for someone. Ok then, it's settled." Ichigo stood. "So how about some Kido training?" Ichigo proposed.

"Why not. After all, how long can you be worse in Kido than most of your subordinates?" Ichigo scowled at his jab, making him laugh. "Just kidding, let's go."

As their stared to train, Ichigo noticed that the spells were much easier to learn than before despite being higher level. Ichigo thought it was a matter of experience and usage of Kido, which he's been using a lot lately.

Yet Hachi told him that he could be considered a prodigy. He already managed to get Hado up to 60, and Bakudo up to 59. He had to admit that the books Yoruichi gave him were helpful. Not to mention small tips written in her neat and elegant style were a pleasure to read.

Hachi told him that soon they could start on seals and barriers.

After they finished, Ichigo moved to train his subordinates. First he took his regular soldiers and tested their skills. The results were what he expected. While proficient in Kido, none of them stood a chance in close combat and also…

"Ok, what the hell is this?" Ichigo asked pointing to one of the soldiers.

"What Commander?" One of them replied.

"That retarded mask, it's just getting in the way." He pointed to the gray mask with a long stripe, going almost to the very ground.

"But Commander, it's tradition…"

"I don't care if it's traditional or not." Ichigo interrupted. "It'll restrain your sight, so it's pretty deadly in close combat. Remove it from your uniform at once." He left no room for argument. "And it looks like I will have to take care of your sword training, cause in most cases it sucks." He noticed that he went to far as most of his men had a downcast expression. "Ok look. I know that we're supposed to be long distance fighters and all, but I can't allow my men to be so defenseless at close quarters. We'll fix it soon enough… and since you did rather well in your training, and you are all working hard with the books, you all are free until tomorrow morning. Have fun." He smirked when his men cheered.

Ichigo, pleased with his actions, went to his office. Since his men were relaxing he had nothing to do. So he decided to read his new book.

"Flames of Rebellion by Date Muramasa." Ichigo read aloud. He noticed how elegant and sophisticated the hand writing was. So he guessed that the person came from the upper part of society. Ichigo moved to the prologue.

_"My name is Date Muramasa, the last of the once great Muramasa Family. This book is dedicated to all who've tried to fight injustice in the Soul Society. I will not say that all of those rebels had noble causes. Some of them fought for power, others for wealth, ect. I will not deny this. But a great number of them fought for a higher cause, and now they are deemed as an outlaws and enemies of peace._

_This is a history filled with despair. The history of people chained by tradition and unchangeable laws which lost their purpose long ago._

_You who read my book now, I will not try to convince you to my point of view. I will just show you my reasons, as well as the others who couldn't accept the reality they lived in. Whatever you do with this knowledge is none of my concern._

_But let me give you some advice: If you want enemies, try to change something."_

Ichigo re-read the prologue a few times. His thoughts unwillingly bringing him to Aizen's words, "Because I wanted to change the world around me." , "I wanted to get rid of the injustice in the S.S., it's corruption and arrogance.", "But if you've seen what I have seen, knew what I have known… I was desperate…". His words echoed in the young man's mind.

He was brought from his musings by loud knocking on his doors.

"Enter." He ordered, and to his surprise he saw Rukia walking towards him.

"Hello, Commander." She said with a smile.

"Yo, and drop the formalities." He returned the smile. "I thought you were in Human World?"

"The things were calm there so I decided to check on you. I heard that something happened during the unsealing of the books?" She asked with worry.

"I don't want to talk about it, but I'm over it now." He replied with a small shudder.

"That's good, but I have to give you a warning: stop making enemies." She looked at him completely serious. "My brother told me that you almost hit SoiFon with Kurohitsugi, and pissed Mayuri off beyond belief."

"It's not my fault! SoiFon has some personality problems, and Kurorsuchi stole my stuff. I wanted it back and it's not my problem that he had objections to that." Ichigo replied confidently.

"But maybe you should be more timid in dealing with them." Rukia argued with him.

"If I were more timid you'd would be dead by now." He shot back.

"…You're right, but it's different now that you have a position of power. You have to be more diplomatic."

"While I agree that diplomacy isn't all bad, I won't agree to be manipulated or threatened by anyone. I'm not a dog on the Soul Society's leash." Rukia's eyes widened at his bold statement. "I don't give a shit about my position. The only thing that keeps me from resigning is the responsibility I have towards my men."

"Ichigo you can't be serious! Being a Captain is a great honor!" She yelled, shocked by his words.

"Tsk, they told me that I can't go to Hueco Mundo without permission. Wonder what else I can't do?" He mumble the last part.

"Why the hell would you want to go to Hueco Mundo?" She asked, her gut was telling her that it had something to do with his Arrancar guest.

"First of all, I don't like my freedom restrained, and it's a good place to train." He stated. "That way at least me and Tia won't destroy anything."

"Ichigo, I still think that it's a bad idea keeping her." Rukia blurted. Ichigo meanly groaned, somehow he knew that she would bring that up.

"Rukia we've already talked about this. She's staying." He replied calmly.

"Ichigo, I understand that you might feel... attracted to her, she is pretty." Rukia begrudgingly admitted making Ichigo blush much to her displeasure. "But you have to understand that any relationship with her is doomed to fail."

"Why?" He asked, but he already knew the answer.

"Because she's an Arrancar, and the Soul Society will never accept one of its Captains fraternizing with the enemy." She explained it to him, as if speaking to a child, which irked him to no end.

"Don't forget that I am human. So the things I do in the Human World shouldn't interest the Shinigami." He felt his patience is growing thin.

"Ichigo the moment you first gained Shinigami powers, you stopped begin an ordinary human. You have to understand that I'm worried about you… you should really think more about yourself. She's a danger to you." She continued without missing a beat.

"A danger I'm willing to take a chance on." He replied with all the honesty he could muster. He could have sworn he could see a flash of pain in her eyes, but it was quickly replaced by anger.

"You fool, they will execute you for treason! Why don't you see that!" She exploded, growing red with anger. "I know that whore seduced you, but damn it get over it!"

"Enough!" Ichigo roared, standing with such force that his chair fell down to the floor. His outburst shocked Rukia so much, that for a moment she couldn't gather a single thought. She opened her mouth to speak, but Ichigo silenced her with one glare. "Now listen," He started with a barely contained fury. "Tia is not a whore, and she didn't seduce me. We're friends, good friends, and I will never allow anyone to speak about my friends like that… even you Rukia." That statement froze Rukia's heart, she just couldn't believe she heard what she heard.

"Ichigo you can't be…"

"I'm deadly serious." His voice didn't flatter. "After we left Urahara's that night, when we fought those Vasto Lordes, because of your words she wanted to find a job and move out as soon as she got paid… I didn't let her go. I wanted her to stay with me… I may be a fool for going against the laws of the Soul Society, but I'll be damned if she's not worth it. She's one of the most wonderful people I have ever met." He smiled kindly.

Rukia looked at him with sadness, but saw that she was too late. The Arrancar had sunk her claws in too deep.

"I see we've got nothing speak about then." She stood and went to the door.

"Rukia!" He shouted, gaining her attention. "Why do you hate Tia so much? What did she do to you?"

'She took you away from me.' She didn't dare to speak those words aloud, and moved towards the exit.

"Rukia! If you've ever considered me a friend, please don't tell anyone about her… please." He begged her.

"You will end up hurt and neck deep in trouble… but I won't tell anyone about her." With that she left, unshed tears filling her eyes, which Ichigo couldn't see.

When the doors shut, Ichigo picked up his chair and sat heavily in it. He felt like he was older than the Captain Commander. He had a horrible feeling that he just traded a friend for a friend.

"Why can't life ever be simple?" He asked into the air, closing his eyes.

"Life can never be simple, child." A voice replied. Ichigo's eyes snapped open, and he jolted from his chair. Looking frantically around, he put his hand on his sword's hilt.

"Who's there!?" He yelled, ready to counter an eventual attack. His demands were met with silence. After a while he relaxed. "The stress must be getting to me... maybe I should just go to Rukongai?" He mused aloud. "Hopefully something good will come of that."

* * *

I made it! Right on Christmas Eve guy! I wrote it like crazy so once again sorry for the mistakes, but I hope you liked my gift! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of you!


	12. Complex World

Chapter 12

Shock, horror, and dread were only a few words that Ichigo used when passing the borders of 70th North Rukongai District.

To say that the place was a mess would be a disgusting understatement. The polar opposite to the higher districts, where the roads were paved and houses were neat and clean. And the further you went the worse you saw.

The tipping point was the 69th and 70th border. The paved road ended and old houses were replaced by shacks and crumbling ruins. Dirt, dirt was everywhere, on the streets, buildings, people.

While in District 69 the buildings looked old and in disrepair for years, they had a certain decency and people seemed to care for the little they had. When you crossed the border of 70th, that disappeared. It was replaced by a sad acceptance of fate, despair, and violence. The people wore mostly some poorly stitched rags from various other clothes. They had their eyes on the ground and never looked up. In the Soul Society regular souls had no need for food to sustain themselves. So without this most basic instinct they just fell into numbness and uncaring.

'That is so wrong… shouldn't the Soul Society be like heaven where good people go? They shouldn't be rotting here like this.' Ichigo thought with righteous anger. He passed through the street, hidden by an old coat he bought a few districts back. During his trip he was swarmed by crowds of people who thanked him for saving them, and that slowed his journey considerably. The coat was dusty brown and covered him from head to toes, hood hiding his features. He couldn't hide his sword so it hung as per usual on his back. Not to mention, aside from his popularity, there was one more reason he decided to hide the fact that he was a Dead God.

To these people Shinigami were nothing but oppressors, preying on the weak. Ichigo had always though it was mere urban legend, but his opinion quickly changed when he saw a group of Shinigami loudly demanding "protection money" from an old man running a stall with some fruits. With trembling hands he handed it to them. They even had the gall to scorn him for what small amount he gave them. He tried to explain that it was all he had, but they threatened him that next time they would taking more. Before they departed they took a few fruits from the stall, obviously for free. The old man clenched his jaw, but remained silent.

They very sight of it sickened Ichigo to his very core. How could those who swore to protect people like that old man steal from them? He memorized the faces of the thugs, and would deal with them later.

"Kami and I have ten more to see." He whispered to himself.

When people saw him and the large sword on his back, they quickly scattered out of his way, looking at him with fear. His heart sank at this sight. He never wanted to be feared, respected yes, but not feared.

Suddenly something soft hit his leg. He looked down and saw a small rag-ball. A little girl, no more than four, in a dirty kimono had come closer and looked up at him

"Oj, mister can you give me my ball back?" She asked in a sweet voice with a small smile. Ichigo smirked under his hood, bent and grabbed the ball. As he walked closer to hand her the ball suddenly some woman crossed his path, shielding the child.

"I'm sorry, my lord. She didn't mean to. Please my lord don't hurt her." She pleaded, looking at him with eyes full of dread. The street grew silent, all talk and chatter stopped. Now people were waiting. They were waiting to see what he would do.

Ichigo was at a loss, they looked at him like he was a Hollow, ready to eat the poor souls. It disturbed and saddened him greatly.

'Kami and I have ten more.' He thought again. He slowly walked to the woman. He could see unshed tears in her eyes. Her daughter was standing behind her trying to see what was happening, but her Mother kept her behind her. Ichigo slowly, not wanting to scare the woman extended his hand. The woman cringed and closed her eyes, waiting for the inevitable. Which didn't come.

She opened her eyes and saw that he was holding the ball in his, and waiting for her to take it. She took it cautiously, looking for some ulterior motive. After a few tense moments she didn't find one. Ichigo passed her and started to walk away, when he heard.

"Thank you mister." The girl shouted. A small smile crept on his face, but quickly fell when he looked ahead.

"Kami... and I have ten more."

* * *

Human World

Bored, boring, boredom… Tia could use all forms of the word. She literally had nothing to do. She had done her homework already... and Ichigo's, cleaned the house, and made dinner as Yuzu was still in school. It just took her three hours, and it was still early afternoon.

She had to admit that she hadn't recalled the feeling of boredom in Hueco Mundo. The constant strife for survival occupied every minute of her time then. Yet there was another reason she wanted to occupy herself with something.

Recently her past stared to catch up with her. She started dreaming about it. She already remembered the first few years after her parents demise.

Hale took great care of her, trying to replace her lost parents as best as he could. He, along with his friends, rebuilt her house and moved in with Tia, to be with her most of the time. Yet James's death had far more dire consequences than just orphaning Tia. His company had fallen apart not even month after the tsunami. Vultures started to circle around the corpse of his company.

Sadly Tia, being the sole heiress of the company, with a simple harbor man as a legal guardian, stood no chance against hardened merchants. They quickly capitalized on the opportunity. Only thanks to James's friend, John Westwood, had they managed to re-sell it at a decent price, and secure money for quite some time. With the addition of Hale's salary, Tia managed to avoid a life in poverty.

But the things hadn't stopped there. Due to the destruction and death toll, the gap between natives and foreigners had grown even bigger, causing even more conflicts between the groups. Her memories were hazy at that point, but Tia now could see many things she missed when she was a kid. The glares, the mono-race districts, and so much more.

She sighed again, her gut telling her that the next dream would be even less pleasant. She swallowed hard, ashamed of her fear.

"It can't be as bad as first." She consoled herself. Her trail of depressing thoughts was interrupted by her mobile. The digital showed Tatsuki's number.

"Hey Tia wassup? "She greeted her.

"Hello, I'm well thank you." She replied calmly.

"Good. Hey listen we're doing a girls night tonight, wanna come?" Taksuki asked her. Since she hadn't had much to do, Tia agreed.

"I would like that, thank you for the invitation." Tia told her politely.

"Great! Meet us at seven, in front of Karakura Cinema. We decided to watch that Skyfall movie." Tia smirked. She had enjoyed the movies with James Bond.

"Very well I'll be there."

"Later." She disconnected. Now all she had to do was wait a few hours until the meeting.

Begrudgingly she decided to watch some TV.

* * *

Rukongai 80th District

Devastated. That word was the closest to describing Ichigo's current state of mind. The last ten districts literally crashed his belief in any sort of justice in the Soul Society.

Till now he believed they just had a problem with their outdated law, and it was a simple matter of a few corrections. But now, after seeing the poverty of the last ten districts, he realized just how blind he was. His stomach knitted itself tightly, and bile rose in his throat. Guilt was literally eating his alive.

He recalled the full breakfast he ate at his HQ, the bath he took in his luxurious bathroom. But here?

Even worse than ten districts ago, one large sea of slums reeking of despair.

'God damn it.' He seethed inside. "It was supposed to be the god dammed afterlife were good souls are rewarded for their life, not fucking hell." He snarled, scaring few people. The living conditions were even worse than in 70th. There at least the buildings resembled actual buildings. Here the homes were made of pretty much anything they could scrape together, and looked ready to collapse any second.

Suddenly someone bumped on him. He noticed that it was a girl. She was shorter than him, and had quite the slender figure. Her skin was slightly tanned. Her hair had a dark violent color, and it reached to her waist line. Her eyes had a steel-gray color, with small tints of blue.

"I'm sorry my lord. I didn't mean to bump onto you." She bowed and quickly walked away. Ichigo shook his head and began to leave. Then he realized that something was missing. He was liberated of his purse. Turning around he saw the thief walking into a back alley

"Hey! Stop!" He yelled. The girl turned around, and he could see the fear in her eyes, before she began to run away.

Ichigo dashed after her at high speeds, but refrained from using Shunpo. He didn't want to compromise his cover. As he ran into the alley he saw it had many turns, and Ichigo saw the thief disappear behind one of them. He cursed and dashed after her.

The place was a literal maze, with narrow passages between the shacks. Ichigo groaned. She would lose him in a matter of seconds here.

He leapt up into the air and landed on the nearby roof, looking at the sea of slums from above. He caught a glimpse of violent and jumped in that direction. But when he reached the area, she already left running deeper into the slums.

"Hell. I'll never catch her this way." Ichigo began to concentrate, and to his surprise he instantly felt her Reiatsu. Wild and untrained, but quite potent. "Interesting. Looks like I found my first victi... recruit." His smirk grew. "Let's go hunting then."

* * *

If you wondered who would have the gall to rob a guy with a human length sword, it would be Kurai Kyofu. While she hated stealing and committing crimes with a passion, a churning stomach and cruel overlord were good motivators to be the best. Now she scored big time, if the weight of the purse was any indicator.

'Maybe he will let them go.' She thought hopefully.

"Hey stop!" Kurai heard a shout coming from behind. Turning around she had seen the stranger with the very big sword chasing after her. She felt fear grasp her heart as he closed the distance really fast.

She decided to dive into the slums. She knew that place like the back of her hand, so she thought that she could lose him there. True to her prediction she lost his quite quickly, but years of living among scum and murderers taught her better than to fall into a false sense of security.

After a while, Kurai crossed the gate of the one of the wealthiest man in the area, out of breath. The reason for his wealth was simple: The bastard was a leech that preyed on the misfortune of the dwellers of 80th, with his gangs of thugs. They enforced their rules with violence and fear, taking what little the inhabitants of the district had.

"Hey guys." Kurai called to them, trying to look confident.

"Well well, looks whose here." Thug 1 said. "I thought that Akira-sama told you to not come back before you collected the money for your little friends." His smile grew sadistic.

"No shit. Like hell you could get twenty silver in such a short time girly." Thug 2 laughed.

"But I have the money… even more than needed. So please let them go." She pleaded and took the purse out to show them. Kurai could swear that their eyes started to sparkle. One of them stood and snatched the purse from her, spilling the money out. All of them gasped in shock. Most of the coins were gold, some of them silver, but most of all there were a lot of them. But the girl couldn't marvel at the sight, feeling nasty glares on her from the rest.

"HEHE looks like she hit a jackpot here. We could build a palace here with this much." Thug 1 said. "So what do you think guys? We split it equally, and not a word kay." The rest of them nodded.

"But... but what about my friends?" Kurai asked at the verge of tears. That was supposed to be her last payment! But then she felt a shiver go down her spine as they grinned.

"Ara, ara we can't let her blab about our extra income, can we boys?" They surrounded Kurai smiling manically. "Sadly we will have to silence you, but…" He brought his face closer, inhaling her scent. "… not before a little fun." He laughed.

Kurai wriggled out of his grasp starting to retreat. Her hand dived into her pocket, and wrapped around small knife she had.

"No… please… I don't want to die." Kurai was scared alright, but nowhere near giving up. If things came to the worst, she just needed to stab the nearest one in throat and run away.

"No can do… bad lack I guess-GACK!" That was the last thing he uttered, before he was suddenly launched into nearest wall by a brown blur. Before anyone managed to say anything, a similar fate met the rest of the gang members in the blink of an eye.

Kurai blinked in shock, when suddenly the very man she robbed appeared in front of her, his back turned to her.

He turned to face her, showing a dark scowl.

She felt my ankles turn into jelly, and she fell to her knees, looking at Ichigo with a blank stare. The sheer power of his presence made her unable to take a breath. As if invisible hands were squeezing her throat. This man would crush her in instant if he wished.

As soon as the pressure came in was gone, as Ichigo moved to Kurai and kneeled.

"Are you ok?" He asked with a surprisingly gentle voice, his scowl disappearing.

Kurai blinked again, flabbergasted by the turn of events.

"Huh?" Was all that came from her mouth, as she was having trouble forming a sentence.

"Are you hurt?" Ichigo asked again, trying to sound as sympathetic as he could.

"A-Aren't y-y-you going to k-kill me?" She stuttered, not able to stop her shaking.

"No." Ichigo replied shortly, giving her a small grin.

"B-But aren't you angry about me stealing..." She bit her tongue, deciding to not remind him of her little stunt.

"I am, but we WILL talk about that later." Ichigo gave her a look that made her squirm a bit. "What's your name?"

"Kurai Kyofu." She replied timidly. Still not sure about this man's intentions.

"Ok Kurai-san, tell me where your friends are?" Ichigo asked politely. "I overhead whole thing." He explained seeing the confused look in her eyes.

"Akira-teme is keeping them in the basement." She looked at him hopefully. "Will you save them?"

"Yup. What are their names, and what do they look like?"

"One is called Lillynete Kaida, and she has brown shoulder length hair that hides a scar from a Hollow claw. Her eyes are blue and she's short. The other is Midora Aoba and he has black hair and yellow cat eyes. He's just a little shorter then you, my lord. Oh and he has a dragon tattoo on his back." She finished.

"Ok. Stay here and I'll be back soon… And one more question, why aren't there any guards here, aside from them?"

"Akira-teme believes that no one would dare to touch him. So usually his mason is lightly guarded during the day, and most of his men are doing his errands. Arrogant bastard." She spat on the ground.

"Cool, less work for me." Ichigo stood and walked to the mansion. He guessed that the prisoners would be kept in the cellar, so he headed that way. He bullied one of the thugs he caught into telling him where the prison was, before promptly nailing him into the wall.

"Couldn't build more stereotypical dungeon, could he?" Ichigo asked the unconscious jailor, while taking his keys. The aforementioned dungeon looked exactly like a cliche. Made of dark stone with torches lighting it, wet, damp, and smelly. With cells on both sides of the corridor.

Behind the bars, people were looking at him with apathy. They knew that they wouldn't get out of there, so it was useless to resist. Somehow it pissed Ichigo off even more that the fearful stares. If you are afraid to lose your life, you care about it. But they, they just waited for death. Be it from starvation or by the hands, of Akira's thugs. He walked down the corridor, looking into the cages until he saw his man. Ichigo's eyes widened, if not for the hair the man could be a male Yoruichi. He even had the same eye color.

"Midora Aoba, is that you?" Ichigo asked the prisoner, as he looked at him with fascination.

"Yeah that's me." He replied in an almost carefree manner. Ichigo rose his eye brow. "Who are you?"

"It doesn't matter. Kurai-san sent me to rescue you and Lillynete, can you tell me where she is?" Ichigo asked. Aoba's face visibly darkened.

"They took her up to that son of a bitch Akira." His eyes fell to the ground. "You can guess what he's gonna do to her." Ichigo's eyes widened. In one swift motion he unsheathed his sword and cut the bars, freeing Aoba. He threw the keys to Aoba.

"Free the rest of the prisoners, and I mean IT." His voice got a slightly Hollow edge. Aoba stared to sweat, swallowing away a lump.

"No problem man, anything you say." Ichigo disappeared in a flash of Shunpo. "He's sooo scary." Aoba stood and began freeing the rest of the prisoners.

Ichigo Shunpo'ed through the building, getting to the highest floor as quickly as he could. The asshole was really arrogant. All that Ichigo spotted on the way were servants. With the exception of two guards at the big winged door. He knocked them out so fast that they didn't realized what hit them. Just about when he was ready to open the door, he heard a loud thud.

"So the scar-faced whore is feisty, huh? Heh heh heh. I will enjoy this. Heh heh." A disgustingly leering voice sounded from behind, followed by soft whimpers.

Ichigo kicked the doors open, and stopped in this tracks, horrified. A dark skinned muscular man was pinning the struggling woman to his desk. Ichigo saw a small bleeding scratch on his check. The woman under him looked much worse. She had bruises and scratches all over her face. Her kimono was torn, and Ichigo could see her bare breasts. Under different circumstances his nose would turn into a geyser, but now he could only felt pity for the poor woman. And rage. Rage like he hadn't felt in a while.

The man looked up at him. He sat back in his chair and casually shoved the woman down. She hit the ground with a yelp of pain, and stated to crawl away.

"How may I help you?" He asked politely readjusting his robes. Ichigo would laugh at the absurdity of this situation, but he didn't.

"I came for the girl." Ichigo stated.

"I see. Looks like I have to hire some more competent guards… By the way are you new to this town?" Akira asked.

"You could say that." Ichigo replied, not sure were this conversation was going.

"I see then. I'll give you a piece of good advice… DON'T EVER FUCK WITH ME, TRASH!" Akira roared, surprising Ichigo. "I rule this place, and my word is law. I won't stand for such disrespect… but since you are new here, I will let it slip." He looked at Ichigo, calculating. "Let's make a deal. I see you're quite capable, so work for me and I will let the whore go." Ichigo was flabbergasted. He couldn't believe that this guy is trying to recruit him

"No deal… I feel sick even thinking about it. I could never work for scum like you." Ichigo snapped. Akira's eyes narrowed.

"You will regret it, boy. I will gut you and hang your corpse in the street. That way everyone will know not to fuck with me… and after that, I will deal with this little who.." He couldn't finish his sentence, as Ichigo Flash Stepped and punched him square in the face.

Akira shot out of his chair, and slammed into wall. He slid down it with a groan. Ichigo spat in his direction and moved to the girl who was desperately trying to crawl towards the doors. The moment he reached her she curled into a ball, quietly begging not to hurt her.

"Lillynete-san, it's ok. Kurai-san sent me." He told her softly. "I already freed Aoba-san." He was happy to see the look of relief on her teary face. "Come on. I'll get you out of here." But the girl didn't move.

"I can't walk." She whispered, and looked at her leg. Ichigo followed her eyes and almost puked. Her right leg was in a terrible state. To sum up, it looked like one big wound. From knee down it was all bloody. Ichigo had no doubt that the bones were broken, or even crushed.

"Look, I'm gonna do something to ease the pain, will you trust me?" The girl looked at him for a moment, then nodded. Ichigo moved his hand over her wound and began healing it. He thanked Hachi for showing him the basics of medical Kido. The relief on Lillynete's face was visible. Ichigo stopped after healing the worst wounds, and soothing the pain to tolerable levels.

"Lillynete-san, I'm gonna carry you so we can get out of here, is that okay?" She nodded. Ichigo gently lifted her into bridal style, and walked out of the room. He paused when a spiteful voice reached his ears.

"You think you can walk out on me like that, brat?!" Akira stood up spitting blood. "I've got connections everywhere! Even at Sereitei! By this time tomorrow you will have a squad of Shinigami on your ass! Take that whore with you, and enjoy your hollow victory! I can have hundred like her with a snap of my fingers!" He spat venomously.

"Lillynete-san close your eyes, and no matter what don't open them." Ichigo whispered.

The girl nodded and buried her face into his chest. He adjusted her so he could get one free hand.

Then he pointed his finger at him.

"What? You gonna give me a mean and tell me I'm bad? Let me know that my actions are gonna catch up with me?" Akira mocked.

"Something like that." Ichigo said darkly, forming a small orb of red energy there. "Cero."

The last thing the Gang Boss ever saw was a sea of red.

He was vaporized along with a rather sizable part of the wall. Without further ado Ichigo left the room.

* * *

"Aoba!" Kurai yelled, jumping on her childhood and friend hugging him. He was walking out of the building with a crowd of prisoners and servants.

"Ouh... I'm glad to see you too, but please don't break me." He chuckled, ruffing her hair.

"Sorry. But where's Lilly, is she ok?" She asked worriedly.

"I don't know." He sighed. "They took her up to the bastard before we got set free." Kurai gasped. She heard the rumors about the woman that were sent to Akira. "But that guy with orange hair went to save her…" He looked at her friend curiously. "Where the hell did you met him?"

"I kind of... robbed him…" She looked slightly ashamed. "He followed me and ended up saving me." Her eyes darted to the unconscious guards.

"I see… what do you think he will do with us?" Aoba asked honestly. He just couldn't imagine why someone would help them without a reason.

"I don't know. I hope…" She trailed off when she saw Ichigo walking out of the building, with Lilly in his arms.

"Oh my God, Lilly!" Kurai yelled as she saw the battered form of her friend.

"You're too loud Kurai." She replied weakly, with a small smile.

"Can we wait for the happy reunion? We need to get out of here before the rest of his men come back… Aoba take her." Ichigo gently handled Lilly to him. Then he turned to the building and checked if anyone was inside. Luckily it was empty, considering the servants bolted as soon as Cero blast was heard.

"Hado no 54: Haien." A blast of purple flame shot out of his hand, and hit the building. It ignited immediately.

"Why the hell did you do that?!" Kurai asked loudly.

"Because even after Akira's death, his men would just take over." Ichigo replied calmly.

"Wait what?!" Aoba and Kurai yelled in unison. "Akira's dead?!"

"I couldn't let a man like that live." He looked at the ground. Ichigo knew that he could arrest him, but the man seemed way to certain about his connections to do it that way. Besides he detested rapists. Yet he took a life today, no matter how crooked.

Ichigo decided to leave those thoughts for later. He had more pressing matters at hand.

The trio, seeing his discomfort, decided to change the subject.

"Not that I wouldn't want to see the bastard's house burn, but we should really go." Aoba stated, and his friends nodded. Ichigo looked at them for a moment, and also nodded. He pulled his hood over his head.

"After you." They all ran away from the burning remains of Akira's property.

The trio led Ichigo through the narrow passages and alleys of the district 80th slums. Giving him more firsthand experience with the poverty of its inhabitants. Finally they reached an old wooden cottage with a thatched roof. Like every building in the area it looked like it could crumble at any second. Kurai opened the door and invited him inside.

He looked around the dimly lit room. It had an old crannied table with three stools, two pallets in the corner, and a small fireplace in the middle of the room with a pot hanging above it.

"Please sit." Kurai told him. Ichigo warily sat on the stool afraid that he would break it. Aoba gently placed Lilly on a pallet, and also sat on a stool.

For a few moments awkward silence lingered in the room. No one really knew how to start.

"Ok... not that I'm not grateful for the rescue and stuff, but why?" Aoba blurted out. "You seem like a powerful and important man, so why bother with us small folk?"

"To tell the truth I'm looking for strong recruits for my squad, and I was advised to look around here." Ichigo told him seriously, looking deeply at all of them. He couldn't believe how lucky he was. All of them possessed quite the amount of Reiatsu. 'Hat trick.'

"Whoa whoa, recruits?" Kurai paused him with her eyes widening to comical proportions. "Y-Your s-squad? Does that mean that you're…" She paled mightily.

"Yes, I'm a Shinigami." He told them calmly. "A Captain to be precise, little thief." He grinned.

"I'm going to faint." Kurai said and promptly did that, falling to the floor and making everyone sweat drop.

"Goddamn it Kurai." Aoba mumbled. "Can I ask for your name, my lord?"

"I'm no lord, I'm Ichigo Kurosaki." He introduced himself.

"Kurosaki Ichigo... I know that name from somewhere…" Lilly though hard. "Aren't you the of who beat Aizen and his Hollows?!" She exclaimed with wide eyes. Aoba looked at him with awe.

"Guilty as charged." He smirked and stood. "While I'm here, I will finish your healing, ok Lillynete-san."

"Please, call me Lilly." She blushed slightly. Ichigo walked to her, and stared to heal the rest of the wounds.

During whole process Aoba was looking at him with caution. The green glow scared them a little, but the visible relief on Lilly's face eased his nerves.

After half hour Ichigo finished. He looked at her face, she indeed had a scar there, covered by her hair.

"Can you show me your scar?" Lilly blushed and brushed her hair aside, reveling the nasty scar. It ran vertically down her face going through her eye. 'Poor girl. She must have been so young when she lost it.' Ichigo thought sympathetically.

It was rough and irregular on the edges, a clear sign of ripped flesh. "I'm not as proficient with healing spells as I would like to be, but I know someone who could take care of that. They can't restore your eye, but the scar could be barely visible." He smirked at her shocked expression.

"Thank you." She whispered with tears in her eyes.

"Ok. So since that is done." He pulled a scroll out of his coat. "If you decide to join me just give that to the Gatekeeper at the Seireitei and he will let you in." Ichigo headed for the door.

"Wait." Aoba shouted and handed him his purse back, smiling shyly. "Kurai said it was yours."

"I know how much was in there." Ichigo told him with a half-smile.

"Me too." He replied with big grin. Ichigo chuckled and pulled six golden, and four silver coins out of his purse, and put them on the table.

"Here's something for your travel expenses." He told them. Aoba looked at him for a moment.

"What if we take just take the money, and decided not to come?" Lilly asked, albeit something told Ichigo that that was unlikely.

"Then I will just have to look for three other recruits, and you will have some money to spend for a while." He replied bluntly. "I'm giving you a chance to change your whole life for the better. At least you will get clean clothes, a warm bed, and three hot meals a day." He added in a softer tone. "And no one will try to... do things to you under my watch." He looked at Lilly sympathetically. "See ya." He left the cottage.

For several moments none of the inhabitants knew what to say. Lilly decided to break the silence.

"I'm going." She stated. Aoba cocked his eyebrow at her with a sly grin.

"Looks like someone has taken a liking to our new friend." Lilly blushed slightly.

"Idiot... You know that we cannot let a chance like that pass by." She argued.

"I know, but can we really trust a Shinigami? Well he saved us, but you know how they treat low born people like us." He replied.

"I don't think things like heritage really matter to him." She shot back. "He healed me, and helped, but asked for nothing in return He even gave us enough money to last for a year at face value."

"You got a point there." Aoba rubbed his chin.

"Gasp! What did I miss!?" Kurai suddenly jumped to her feet, fanatically looking around. "Hey where did that weird Shinigami go?"

"Nothing really, just an offer of a lifetime, and he probably went back to the Seireitei." Aoba said taking out an old bag, and started to throw what little they possessed in. "Now pack your stuff."

"Where are we going?" She asked curiously.

"To take that offer of a lifetime!" He said dramatically, earning two blank stares.

"Let's hope you don't ruin our first impression…." Lilly rolled her eyes.

* * *

Human World - Karakura Cinema

Tia stood in front of neon lighted cinema waiting for the rest of the group. She was a little early. She decided to take a short walk after a few hours of watching TV.

"It's no wonder that, with that quality of entertainment, this generation is more and more foolish." She thought.

Tia waited for a few minutes, looking at the movies repertoire. Suddenly two hands glued themselves to her breasts, and stared to fondle them. Tia was just about to do a classic Akido throw, when she heard loud familiar squeal.

"Ahhhh Tiiiia-chan your boobs area as great as ever!" Chizuru lecherously massaged them. Tia held back the urge to thrown her into a wall. Despite Tia's best efforts (short of a savage beating) the red haired lesbian remained adamant in her desire to touch her breasts.

"Chizuru-san please stop." She asked politely, yet sternly. The redhead groaned and let her go.

"Awww you're no fun at all… or maybe you're just waiting for the right guy to touch them?" Chizuru's grin widened when she saw Tia's eyes widening.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Tia replied instantly, folding her arms over her breasts.

"Let's see... tall, handsome, nice muscular ass, brown eyes, orange hair, ring a bell?" She giggled.

"How do you know that his ass is muscular?" Tia wasn't sure why she asked that question first.

"Hey, I might not be into men, but even I got a grope hihihi. Well if one day I change my mind bout that, I might even go after him." She grinned. "But despite being Team-Hime, I'm cheering for you too!"

"There is no need to cheer for me…" Tia replied, not looking at her.

"Aww come on, don't give up! We can all see you like him!" She exclaimed.

"I…." She was aware of that, but…

"You should probably do something with that, because my little Hime will snatch that catch away from you!" Chizuru actually growled the last part.

"Do you have some ulterior motive towards Orihime-san?" Tia asked suspiciously.

"Maybe, but I'm more interested in equaling the chances." She admitted honestly. "Because you look like the type that can admit attraction, but do nothing about it… am I right?"

Tia just stared at her. She was stunned by Chizuru's disturbingly accurate statement.

"Yeah I knew it. So yeah I know that you might not come from here, and not be fully in tune with our world, but well, don't waste time thinking of what might be and just go for it! At worst he can say no, and then you will have a few awkward days, but then things will go back to status quo!"

"I fail to understand why exactly you are telling me this?" Tia said slowly.

"You can say really dumb things sometimes Ti-chan…" She shook her head. "I say this because I'm your friend of course!"

"Oh…" Tia mumbled.

"What? You don't think of me as friend?" Chizuru asked curiously.

"No, it's not that, it's just that I thought of you as more Ichigo's friend than mine." She replied awkwardly, wanting to avoid this conversation.

"You think that all of us are putting up with you just because of Ichigo?" Again the girl surprised Tia with her insight.

"To sum it up yes." Tia stated.

The girl closed the gap, and pressed her palm to Tia's forehead.

"Hmm you don't seem to have a temperature, and I don't smell booze on you, but you're saying really stupid things today Ti-chan." She rubbed her chin. "Maybe in the beginning that was true, but you have grown on all of us. So you don't need to act like we're doing it just because Ichigo. If you want some girl advice, or just to talk, give any of us a call." She gave her thumbs up. "Or some girl on girl action then definitely call me." She leered a bit.

"I'll…. keep that in mind."

"Hey guys, what's up?" Tatsuki and Orihime greeted them.

"Hime-chan!" Chizuru jumped to "greet" her. but a well-placed chop from Tatsuki cooled her down.

"Ok the movie will begin in 15 minutes, so let's go buy tickets and grab some food." The group got their tickets and got into their movie.

But for some reason Tia couldn't really focus on it.

* * *

Soul Society 2nd Division HQ

SoiFon was currently filling out reports in her office, which Omaeda should have done three weeks ago. Cursing death threats she flipped to the next page, when suddenly someone knocked at her door.

"Come in." She ordered, not taking eyes from her papers.

"Captain-sama we have news from our agents." The messenger announced. "It's about Commander Kurosaki."

"Report." SoiFon replied shortly.

"Yes ma'am. Commander Kurosaki traveled to the District Eighty of Rukongai North. We tailed him all the way there."

"What was he doing there?" She asked.

"Except for killing a local crime boss, we couldn't find anything of merit." He replied. "He came in contact with three dwellers of the district, but we could not discover the purpose of the meeting. Then he left using Shunpo, and we were unable to catch him. The only thing we know is that he headed west."

"I see. Inform our agents in the western districts. I want to know everything he doing, be it eat, sleep or go take a leak!"

"Yes ma'am!" The messenger Shunpo'ed away.

SoiFon furrowed her eyebrows, wondering what the wannabe Commander was up to. While she hated to admit it, he was faring better than she expected. Reports were coming in order, and on time, and there were no cries to remove him from his office by his squad. They even seemed to like him.

Her spies told her that he wasn't beneath taking hints and advice from the lower ranks. Which, in her opinion, was disgraceful. No self-respecting Captain would take advice from a grunt.

'Again there's nothing self-respecting about this brat.' She huffed, folding papers. Despite not gaining approval for the surveillance, she instructed her men to keep a watch on young Commander in Soul Society 24/7.

Her gut told her that he would pull some sort of stunt sometime soon, and she would be ready to bring his ass in.

'Make one mistake Kurosaki, I dare you…'

* * *

Western Rukongai, District 80

Ichigo sneezed half through a sigh, he's done that for a while now... sighing not sneezing. The western part of Rukongai was an exact copy of its northern equivalent. The whole society system was clearly not working. From what the heard from his newest recruits the south was exactly the same. Ichigo assumed that the east would look the same. He decided to not waste any more time, and extended his senses to find a suitable candidate. After a few minutes of searching, he finally found two suitable Reiatsu's. He began to walk towards their energy sources.

To his surprise it led him to some sort of arena. It was surprisingly well built for the location. It was made of gray stone in a Roman-like style. Stands surrounded the sandy arena floor.

The guard at the entrance demanded he pay for entrance. Ichigo did just that, and entered the arena without wanting to raise suspicion. The stands were almost full, but his intimidating appearance granted him a good place. He sat and waited for the battle to start.

The crowd cheered when the first gladiator made his entrance. It was large brute with a very large sledgehammer. He had some breast plate and pig-face helmet that made him look like a walking tank. He roared to the crowds' satisfaction.

When the second one came in Ichigo wasn't impressed. The man was quite tall, around 5'11. He had dirty blonde hair and blue-green eyes. He was quite well built underneath a loose kimono.

But his weapon choice was interesting. Ichigo identified it as a Kukri knife. Ichigo recalled that it was quite a nasty knife, used by some black ops in the human world.

To an untrained eye, the un-armored guy with a knife going against a heavily armed and armored opponent, was either a madman or desperate. But Ichigo could see his relaxed stance. The way he walked to the center showed the fluidness of his movements. His power wasn't in strength, but in speed and agility.

"Ladies and gentlemen" A fat man announced from the VIP stands. He was like a walking barrel, sweating profusely. He was bald as a knee, had small brown eyes, and a cruel smirk on his face. His fat fingers were decorated by dozens of rings. "As master of this arena I'm proud to announce that today's fight is special." He made a paused dramatically. "Our champion of all time, Hadar of the Steel Hammer..." Hadar roared once again. "… will face a new rising star… a debtor of mine who decided to pay his debts to me by joining my elite group of gladiators… Shiki Hikerakasu!" The crowd cheered again. Ichigo saw him smile and wave to the crowd. "Now my great warriors, bring honor to my arena and ME!"

The gladiators began the fight with a stare down. After a few seconds Hadar got bored, and with a mighty roar, charged at Shiki. He graciously avoided his horizontal strike, and slashed at his unprotected forearm. The giant didn't even flinch, he turned around and delivered another blow. Shiki dodged, and the hammer hit the ground. Ichigo could swear he felt the vibration from where he was.

"Well ain't ya a strong big guy?" The blonde asked with a slight smirk. Hadar looked at him with anger, and charged again. He swung his hammer with blazing speed. Shiki barely evaded it. He couldn't believe that someone could be so fast using a weapon like that. "Whoops that was a close one. Why don't we just chill?" He asked. That seemed to only infuriate the giant even more. He began to overwhelm him with blows, one after another. Shiki avoided them all, and did an elegant backspin to made some distance.

Ichigo was impressed with the fight. Shiki had a real talent for combat.

"No wonder the fatso called him a rising star." He thought aloud. Some people looked at him like he was crazy. But he ignored them and concentrated at the fight.

"Looks like we won't solve this the civilized way." Shiki said. After those words left his mouth his aura changed. The smile fell from his face and his eyes got cold. He crouched and changed his grip on his weapon to a reverse grip.

Hadar seemed to not notice the sudden change, and charged once more. He swung his hammer to crush Shiki's head, but when it fell down, Shiki wasn't there. He moved at blinding speeds, and got behind the giant. He made one swift cut, and severed the tendons under his knees. The giant yelled in pain and fell down under his own weight. He tried to stand but couldn't. Shiki calmly sheathed his knife, and began to walk away.

"Finish him!" Someone yelled.

"Kill him!"

"Kill him!" The crowd started to chant. Shiki looked around in disgust, and continued to walk away.

"Shiki-kun." The fat man called to him. "The audience demands this man's demise." He smiled cruelly. "Who are you do deny them that?" Ichigo felt the bile rise in his throat. He just couldn't believe that the people around him wanted blood so much.

"I won't do it, fatass." Shiki yelled. The master of arena made a disappointed face.

"Let's make a deal then. That was supposed to be your last match, but since you didn't fulfill the conditions you will have to fight one more fight." His grin widened. "Bring her!"

After a few seconds a girl was in the arena. She had a shoulder length black hair, pale blue eyes, and milky white skin.

"Yuki?!" Shiki asked flabbergasted. The girl gave him a small smile.

"Hey, whassup?"

"You just had to get caught, didn't ya?" He asked with a sigh.

"Well it's not my fault you lazy ass. If you were faster I would've gotten out of there." She pouted. Their bickering contest was so out of the place that Ichigo started to laugh.

"Kill her." The fat man interrupted.

"In your lard-filled dreams, Hardy." The public didn't understand him, but Ichigo snickered. 'That was a good one.' He thought.

"My name is Sengoku Jin, you trash!" He seethed.

"Whatever, hunk of meat fat." Shiki replied with a grin. Jin turned red as raw beef with anger.

"Kill them!" He ordered. The area began to fill with his thugs and gladiators. Around thirty people. They surrounded Shiki and Yuki in a circle.

"Any other smart ideas?" Yuki asked with tints of fear in her voice.

"Pray? Sing? Maybe beg…" He proposed. She sent him a classic "Are you fucking kidding me?" look. They stood back to back, and tried to defend themselves, but they were desperately outnumbered.

Ichigo was observing this from the stands.

"Looks like it's time to interfere." He stood and grabbed his sword. He jumped into the air and landed inside the circle of warriors.

People gasped as they saw this. The man just did an unbelievably long jump, and landed in slow motion on the ground. All attention turned to him.

"Ehem, scuze me, but the whole killing business won't happen today." Ichigo exclaimed pulling his coat off in one swift motion, revealing his Shinigami robes in a dramatic manner.

Everyone around him gasped. Not only was he a Shinigami, but a Captain at that. Jin visibly paled and started to sweat even more.

"Shi-Shi-Shinigami!?" He squealed in a high pitched voice.

"Bulls eyes." Ichigo grinned at him.

Jin's eyes grew to the size of dinner plates.

"W-What are you doing here?" He asked.

"Just passing by." Ichigo replied nonchalantly. Everyone sweat dropped. "Until I noticed this arena. Nice place I have to say… and quite illegal." Jin regained back some of his confidence.

"Soul Society laws do not forbid this form of entertainment anywhere. And if something is not forbidden, it's legal."

"You mean they don't forbid murder?" Ichigo asked coldly.

"Murder? HA I haven't seen any murders here. Only lost fights and that isn't forbidden." He smiled sadistically. Ichigo narrowed his eyes

"So If I, let's say… kill all your men and then you, it wouldn't be murder but a "lost fight"? The gladiators shifted uncomfortably, some of them stepped back. Jin's grin fell down and was replaced by a frown. "So let's make a deal. I'll spare your life, but you will let these two go, as well as the rest of your gladiators. Oh and close this bloody business, how's that?" Ichigo asked with false sweetness.

"Impossible! I'll be ruined…" His voice stuck in his throat when Ichigo flared his Reiatsu.

"But you will be alive." Ichigo added quietly. Yet no one had a problem with hearing him. He dropped his Reiatsu, and everyone could breathe again. He turned around to Shiki and Yuki.

"Let's go, we have to talk." The two of them nodded numbly, not even thinking about disobeying him. He looked one last time at Jin. "I will be back to check and see if you fulfilled the conditions of our little agreement, and if you fail…." He left the threat hanging.

After they left the arena they stopped at a nearby food stall. They sat in awkward silence for a few minutes. Ichigo bought some food for them, and with mild amusement watched them inhale it.

'They must've been hungry.' He thought. After the duo finished they looked at him with a mixture of fear and curiosity. Yuki decided to start the conversation.

"Thanks for the food." She gave him a small smile. "And for that in the arena earlier."

"Don't mention it." He smiled as well. "As you probably guessed I want something from you." Yuki's smile faded, and she braced herself. It wasn't like she could deny him anything now.

"I know we owe you a debt, but I won't agree to do anything that involves killing innocent people." Shiki said firmly, or as much as he could under Ichigo powerful gaze. He suddenly felt very small.

"That's good, but you won't be killing people just Hollows." He replied with a smile.

"Hollows?!" They shouted in unison.

"Yes Hollows. That's what Shinigami do." He told them calmly.

"So it's like you want to recruit us?" Yuki asked uncertainly.

"Yes. I'm the Commander of the newly formed division, and I need a capable recruits." Ichigo looked at them. "Both of you have pretty good Reiatsu, so here's my proposal: Join my squad and become Shinigami." Yuki and Shiki exchanged glances.

"You know that's quite the decision…" Shiki started, but Ichigo rose his hand to silence him.

"I understand." He pulled a scroll out of his coat. "This document will grant you entrance to the Seireitei." He pulled a few golden coins out of his pocked. "And this will cover your journey costs." He stood and left.

Yuki and Shiki sat in an awkward silence for few minutes, pondering Ichigo's proposal.

"So Shiki... what do you think?" Yuki asked, playing with a golden coin.

"Man, this is so complicated." He whined. "Why's life gotta be such a drag… still I think we should go." He stated.

"What?" Yuki was shocked. "But going there would require effort we both know you're not capable of."

"Hey that hurts." he told her with fake anime tears. "I mean come on, this place is a dump…. you know what? Fuck this, I'm getting out here." He stood and looked at her. "Aside from occasionally going on suicide missions to kill Hollows, that life will be much better. And if not we'll get at least food and shelter."

"You may have a point… Hell, let's do it!" She stood and pushed out her chest. "We can do it!"

"Yes we can!"

"Yes we can!"

Everyone looked at the cheering duo with amusement.

* * *

Human World,

"That was probably the first JB movie, where a male was making moves on James." Chizuru laughed her ass off at that particular scene.

"It was pretty disturbing." Tatsuki agreed with her.

"Hey don't laugh at him, he was probably very stressed when they were making that scene." Orihime added with a smile.

After the movie ended, they went to the nearby café and talked about all the stuff girls usually talk about. Around 2am they decided that they should head home, as it was quite late.

Since they all lived in the same area they came back together. At some point Chizuru and Tatsuki parted ways with the rest, leaving Orihime and Tia alone.

An awkward silence fell on them. They walked for few minutes with neither of them uttering a word.

Tension was palpable between them. Neither of them were in such situation before. Being in an actual fight was easier, since it was rather easy concept. But love rivals?

That's a whole other story.

"Tia-san... we have to talk." Inoue finally said.

"That we do." She replied stopping and facing the other girl. "I guess we have a common subject in mind."

"I like Ichigo!" Inoue said with a slight blush. "I want him to be my boyfriend!"

"I… fancy him too." Tia said carefully. It was still kind of hard to admit her feelings so openly, but Chizuru's words gave her a lot to think on. If she didn't make a move the others would, and she will be left with nothing.

'You will have his friendship…' Tiburon mumbled sarcastically.

Inoue sighed, obviously expecting that answer.

"I will not back down." Inoue said with rare sternness.

"I never expected you to, yet I won't either." Tia replied in kind.

"Do you even love him?" Inoue asked the million dollar question. "Truly love him, not just a passing fling…"

"My feelings for him are genuine." Tia stated firmly.

"Are they? Do you Arrancars... can even truly love?" Orihime pressed. "Do you possess a heart?"

Tia stared at her in silence.

Could she truly love? Would her Hollow nature permit such thing? Was what she was feeling towards Ichigo a mere attraction, fueled by his Hollow nature? Was her instinct just resonating with his nature, urging her closer to him?

'No.' She gave Inoue a slight glare for insinuating that she was that shallow. "My feelings for him are genuine." Tia repeated. "I do not know if other Arrancar can love, but I know I can."

Inoue stared at her in silence which seemed to span eternity.

"Then I guess it's settled." She finally said. "Let's just set some rules then, Tia-san."

"I'm listening." She replied.

"No trash talking about one another, and no…." Her face reddened. "...closer contact as means to get him. You know what I mean… since, you know… you sleep with him… IN ONE ROOM I MEAN!"

Tia felt her cheeks heated up a bit too. They have not only been sleeping in the same room, but in one bed... Inoue didn't need to know that. Besides it's not like she would sleep with him to get him.

**'Awww come on! You damn prude! You know that one old fashioned, and he's as good as yours!**' Tiburon whined, causing her blush to intensify.

"Very well, I accept those conditions." Tia said in a surprisingly even voice, despite what was going on in her head. "But I will give you no quarter either."

Inoue puffed her cheeks.

"I don't need a handicap to win Kurosaki-kun's heart!" She exclaimed with a passion!

'Since when did I became the part of a teenage drama?'

* * *

Soul Society / Kido Corps HQ

Ichigo woke up feeling that something important had happened, and it was directly connected to him. He shuddered and shoved that felling deep into his mind. He got out of bed and went into his usual morning routine.

After half an hour he was sipping his morning coffee and reading his very illegal book "Flames of Rebellion". He was surprised by the many events that were purposely avoided in Shinigami made history. Books that he was forced to read. Like the fact that low-born couldn't marry high-born, or some massacres that Shinigami ordered to keep the soul balance. Ichigo furrowed his eyebrows, he decided to investigate that "soul balance" closer. His thought was interrupted by two hell butterflies.

Message one:

Commander-sama some peasants demand an entry to the S.S.. They have documents saying that you granted them permission to enter, but those documents can be forged. I ask for your confirmation.

Guardian of the North Gate

Message two was exactly the same, but it came from the West Guardian.

"Guards!" He called. Two Shinigami entered his office promptly.

"Commander-sama?"

"Bring Hashiro and Roja at once!" Ichigo ordered.

"Yes, sir!" They Shunpo'ed away. After a few minutes Ichigo's Third and Fourth Seat appeared.

"You called boss?" Roja asked with a smirk, to which he replied.

"Yes. I have a job for both of you." He explained the details to them, and described his soon to be underlings. "Go get'em."

"Yes sir!" They replied in unison, and Shunpo'ed away. Hashiro went north, while Roja took west. An hour later the doors to his office opened, and a group of people came in. Ichigo called Hachi in the meantime.

All five of his new recruits were looking with wonder at his office. Mouths agape and eyes wide. Hashiro and Roja exchanged glances, their reaction were the same. Since they had a similar social standing, they were also shocked when they saw their new HQ.

"Welcome to the Kido Corps Division" Ichigo announced proudly. "I'm Commander Ichigo Kurosaki, it's nice to meet you all." Shiki, Yuki, Aoba, Lilly, and Kurai looked at him dumbly.

"Wait a moment... you're that Ichigo Kurosaki? The hero? The savior?" Shiki asked, and Ichigo nodded. "I thought you were taller." He grinned, everyone except Ichigo chuckled. He just smiled in very sweet way.

"Now I know who will be doing the majority of the paper work." He replied.

"Aww come on man, have mercy." Shiki paled, the rest of them snickered. Then Kurai and Yuki shyly stepped forward, and placed money on his table. Ichigo rose his eyebrows.

"What's that?" He asked

"It's the money you gave us to travel." Yuki answered, Kurai nodded.

"Take it. Treat it as your first paycheck." He told them with a smile. The girls exchanged hesitant glances. "Do I have to make it an order?" They took the money. "Split it equally among yourselves."

"Thank you Commander-sama!" All his new recruits replied in unison. Ichigo grinned, he really like the sound of his title.

"Ok now on to the technical stuff..." He began. At that moment Shinda enter the room with a pitiful look on his face.

"Good morning, Commander." He choked in a dry voice. He was clearly showing signs of dehydration.

"Good morning, Shinda." Ichigo beamed with a wide smile. "Are you ok? You look tired." Ichigo asked with fake concern. He could smell sake on him.

"I'm ok, Commander." He stated.

"Really? You look thirsty, want some water?" Ichigo asked sadistically. Shinda gulped.

"No. I'm fine, really, Commander." Shinda had a very miserable expression on his face now.

"That's great, I was afraid that I had to find someone else to do physical training with the new recruits." Ichigo gave him a cruel smile. "I believe you will show them the usual routines, after you finish your ten mile warm-up run." If it was possible Shinda paled so much that it could put Ulquiorra to shame. He could only nod, petrified by his immediate future.

'That should teach him to not drink on work days.' Ichigo thought. "Ok so where I was… Oh yes. Since we don't have time to send you to the academy for a six year course, you will be trained here." He let the words sink in. "The programs in the academy involves history, arts, and other boring stuff, so it's just a waste of time. You will catch up to it later. Without all the useless classes you should get the rest in two years. So you got one to master everything." He felt satisfaction when he saw the terror in their eyes. "Yes one year. You work hard all year, with just one free day a month. I pulled a lot of strings to bend rules so you could be accepted into my squad without going through the academy." His expression turned serious.

"You will be provided with all the education you need, reading and writing included, if you don't have that skill. It's nothing to be ashamed of. I picked you up since all of you have a quite a bit of Reiatsu for people who aren't trained. So I believe that all of you will make great Shinigami one day." He took a breath. "Hachigen will be responsible for your Kido training, as well other subjects."

"It's a pleasure to meet you all." Hachi greeted them with a kind smile.

"Hashiro, Zankari, Roja, Estralla, Shinda, Chinmoku will the go too. Since they are fresh out of academy, they along with Hachi, will tutor you in the arts of Kido. They will also be taking care of your psychical and combat training. If you have a problem don't be afraid, just go to them. Now show the newbies their rooms and prepare a schedule for them. Hachi will come by later and add his two cents, dismissed."

The academy trio bowed, followed sloppily by the rest, and left the office to Ichigo and Hachi.

"What do you think of them Hachi?" Ichigo asked.

"They look like good kids, despite going through a lot. Especially that small brunette with scar." He replied.

"Yeah. I managed to just save her from a really bad situation. Poor girl." Ichigo shook his head.

"But all of them have quite the amount Reiatsu. With lots of training and discipline they will go far."

"Let's hope. We're understaffed as is, and any new additions will be a blessing." Ichigo stated. "Maybe then this place will be close to what it once was. I mean it's almost impossible to just meet anyone on the corridors…"

"We'll have to wait till the next batch of graduates from academy then. While taking people directly from Rukongai is a good way to fill the void, it would dramatically decrease the quality of our troops…"

"That's why I took only the strongest I could find. Quality over quantity after all." Ichigo sighed.

"Indeed. I'll go to see what Hashiro, Roja, and Shinda are cooking up for the children." Hachi said. "See you around, Ichigo."

When he left Ichigo returned to his book. He managed to read just one page before he heard a knock.

"For the Christ's sake can't a man read a book in peace?" He wailed, dramatically. "Enter."

A Shinigami messenger stepped through the doors.

"Commander Kurosaki, I have message for you." He announced, and handed him a sealed envelope.

"Thanks." Ichigo replied, and the messenger left. Ichigo looked at the envelope, and saw Kuchiki Family Crest on the seal. "Wonder what Byakuya wants?"

He opened it and began reading.

To the Kido Corps Commander, Ichigo Kurosaki,

In the name of the Kuchiki family I, Byakuya Kuchiki, formally invite you to the annual Spring Banquet we hold. The event will take place in Kuchiki mansion in the Eastern Rukongai, District 1. The invitation is in the envelope.

PS,

You are obliged to take one accompanying person to perform the traditional Spring Dance.

Sincerely yours, Captain Kuchiki Byakuya." Ichigo re-read the letter a few times, especially the post script.

"Where the hell will I find someone who would want to go with me?" Ichigo sighed tiredly. He really didn't know that many women around here. And personally most of them either scared him, worried him, or down right didn't like him. Even Rukia seemed to be pissed off at him. So that option was probably out, leaving him with nothing.

"Closer that you might think, my dear apprentice." A silky voice sounded from behind, as something incredibly soft pressed itself onto him.

* * *

A/N

Wow that took way longer than I watned. But lucky for you all I noticed that I have to adjust story less and less so that means that the chapters should come up faster. I hope that we will reach the place where the plot of original ended before next chrismas...


	13. Den of Snakes

Chapter 13

"Y-Y-Y- Yoruichi!" Ichigo stammered, feeling something way to soft and smooth, to be anything other than skin… And guessing by the arms wrapped around his neck, the softness could only indicate one, or rather two attributes, which solely belong to women…

Ichigo felt his face heat up beyond belief, as he desperately tried to hold still.

"Ara, is something wrong? You look awfully red." Yoruichi stated in a husky voice. Very intentionally adjusting herself on Ichigo's head so he would be right between her breasts. "Maybe I should take your temperature hmm?"

"K-knock it off." He grumbled, trying to hide his embarrassment. "Do you need something specific from me, or are you just messing around?"

"Now now, my dear apprentice." She let him go, wanting to face him.

"Wait a second! Don't even try to come around front if you're naked!" He said hotly.

"Killjoy." Yoruichi mumbled, pulling up her clothes. "Did the possibility that I just wanted to see you ever cross your mind?" She asked, but Ichigo's blank stare gave her her answer, before he even opened his mouth. "Now that hurts." Ichigo chuckled humorlessly.

"So spill, what do you want?" Ichigo asked impatiently. Yoruichi pouted slightly.

"Looks like someone woke up on the wrong side of bed today." She pouted.

"Nah, I'm just tired." He replied in a carefree manner, yet she noticed that something was bugging him.

"Don't lie, tell me what's going on." She crept closer, invading his personal space one more.

"It's nothing really." Ichigo leaned back slightly in his chair. The cat lady was slightly too close for comfort, he could even smell the faint scent of perfume.

'She smells nice.' A stray thought came to his mind. Ichigo's eyes widened slightly at that. He shook his head, scattering any inappropriate thoughts.

"Do I have to beat the answer out of you?" Yoruichi asked with a smile that indicated that she would make good on that promise.

"You're not gonna just let it go, are you?" He asked in exasperation.

She nodded eagerly, making him sigh.

"Fine. Well I wanted to bolster the squad's ranks so I went out looking..." Ichigo summarized what he saw in the Rukongai, and what he did. "The worst part of it all... was when I just killed Akira…" His face fell, twisting into genuine sadness. "I vaporized him just like that, and I felt…" Ichigo paused.

"Good?" Yoruichi supported, putting her hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah… and that scares me. I never once before felt like that. Since when did killing start to feel good? I just took a life, no matter how crooked it was, and it felt frikking good about it… Just what the hell am I turning int-" He wasn't able to finish, because he was pulled into a tight hug. It was a different hug from her usual. It lacked the ever present sexual undertone, instead being more gentle and caring.

Ichigo felt slightly better if he were honest. He hadn't even realized that he returned the hug.

Yoruichi sighed, why did he react to her advances when she wasn't hitting on him? But she shoved those thoughts into the back of her mind. He needed advice and support more than anything right now.

"Ichigo listen carefully." She started gently. "I know the feeling of fulfillment when you take out scum like that, I really do… Yet I've also seen many good people go down this path and in the end turn into the very people they killed. You saved the girl from experiencing something that would scar her for life, and saved her friends, you have the right to feel good." She smiled at him. "Yet you need to always treat killing like a duty, not pleasure. Some people are beyond redemption, and the only way to deal with them is via steel. Do not take pleasure in the act of kill, but rather in what good it can do. Do you understand?"

"I think so… do what's right." He gave her a small smile.

"Exactly." She returned with a smile of her own.

They stared into each other eyes, content in the embrace, until Ichigo realized his head was still between her breasts.

'**Vanilla.'** Hichigo said before Ichigo's panic firmly set in.

'What?' Ichigo asked.

**'She smells like vanilla dumbass, just take a sniff.**' Hichigo grinned. Ichigo's cheeks flushed when he indeed recognized the scent as vanilla.

'Heh. Looks like he was rig….Argh what the hell am I doing?!' Ichigo yelled in his mind, panic firmly settling in.

Yoruichi grinned when she saw his blush, even more when he started to squirm a bit.

"Do you like my perfume?" She knew how he would take it, but missing out on such an occasion, and pretending to not see that he sniffed her, was simply not in her style.

Predictably she got a deliciously cute reaction as he spluttered some gibberish.

She burst out laughing, finally letting the poor teenager go.

"Feeling better?" Yoruichi asked after her laughing fit died down.

"Yes… and now that you've had your share of fun at my expense, mind telling me why you're here?" He asked in a slightly pout-y tone.

"Well, I heard that you got the invitation for the Kuchiki Spring Banquet... and needed a partner…" She trailed off looking at him. The implications of her words reached him after a few seconds.

"I got that like ten minutes ago, how could you possibly have heared…" He recalled reading it out loud. "Never mind… well I'm not going either way." He shrugged.

"I always thought that you were polite enough to not ignore such an invitation. Aside from the fact that whole S.S. political elite will be there, including four great families, C46, and most of the Gotei 13." She enumerated giving him the classic "are you that dumb" look.

"Most?"

"Zaraki."

"Oh."

"You get my point."

"Hmm." He scratched his chin deep in thought. "I'm not sure if I should go with you." He grinned smugly.

"Excuse me?!" She asked flabbergasted.

"You're basically a pardoned outcast, and that could damage my newly established social status." Yoruichi's jaw hung open. "I'm not sure I should show up with you…. you know because of politics." His grin widened when her cheeks puffed.

"Why you little…" She furrowed her eyebrows.

"Can dish it out but can't take it, eh?" He laughed at her, proud that he finally managed to get under her skin. "Besides I don't have the faintest idea on how to act or what to do. I'd just end up making an idiot of myself."

"Oh come on! You're exaggerating." She exclaimed. "A few tips here and there and you will be the star of the evening!"

"I'm not really sure. I don't really care for the limelight." He rubbed his head.

"Ichigo... it will be one of the greatest chances to introduce you to the Soul Society elite… and most of them are eager to see the newest captain. Ignoring them could be taken as an offense, and you'll make enemies that way. Nobles keep their resentments for a very long time." Ichigo hesitated. "If they discover your little Arrancar, you will need as many supporters as you can get in the C46, among others to not have her executed on spot." She tried a different approach.

"I don't even know that damn spring dance." He used his last line of defense.

"I will teach you." She grinned.

"No."

"Please."

"Not a chance."

"Pretty please."

"F-forget it." Ichigo felt his will weakening. Yoruichi grinned and used her strongest weapon against men, she pouted.

Ichigo froze, captured by the sight of it. Her cat like eyes grew giving them sad look, her lower lip pushed forward and trembled slightly.

'Kami, the cat from Shrek could learn a thing or two from her.' She blinked and Ichigo could swear that he saw her eyes watering.

"Fine, god damn it! You win!" He sighed.

"YAY!" She cheered, the sad look gone instantly.

"Why the hell do I get caught by that every single time?" He closed his eyes rubbing his temples.

"Then how about we just get right into your dance lessons?" Yoruichi smirked, and moved around to the front of his office.

"Fine... let's just get this over with." Ichigo stood up and walked to her. Since his office was quite spacious, it was a perfect place to train his abysmal dancing skills.

Youruichi walked to him, and literally invaded his personal space, pressing her well-endowed breast against his chest. Ichigo blushed, but he didn't step back.

"Ok Ichi-boy take my left hand." He gently took her hand. "Now place your right hand on my lower back." Ichigo placed his hand on her mid-back, while she wrapped hers around his neck. "A little lower." She instructed. He obeyed and slid his hand down, but didn't leave the proper zone. "Lower." Youruichi practically purred into his ear, his hand was now resting just little above the tail bone.

"I'm starting to think this is not the correct form." Ichigo choked. He was sweating bullets at this point. His hand was dangerously close to her assets.

"Now now, who's the teacher?" She grinned. Ichigo gave her his trademark scowl, minus the usual malice.

"Now now, who's the known pervert." He mocked her. Her grin widened.

"Well look at that, boyo's challenging me?" Ichigo rose his eyebrow.

"Me? Challenging the almighty Goddess of Flash? I wouldn't dare." He replied with fake humility.

"That's what I thought." She told him smugly, but Ichigo wasn't even close to finished.

"After all it's not in my nature to bully the weak." That jab hit the bull's eye. Yoruichi's mouth hung slightly agape, her eyes wide in shock. 'Did he just called me weak?'

"Oh my seems like someone's gotten a little overconfident." She looked him deep in the eyes. "Seems you've recently grown a spine, haven't you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." He shrugged.

"It seems that this recent promotion has gone to your head…" She mused in a dangerously silky tone. "Or it is something else hmm? Was your date with lil Hime-chan that good?" Yoruichi gave him a toothy grin.

"We just talked if that's what your getting at!" Ichigo said defensively.

"If you say so lover-boy. Now let's do the dance." She quickly changed topics. She showed him the steps for the individual dance, and a group one. The dance included many spins and turns, with a few things that the purple haired lady added. But they didn't just stop at the spring dance. She showed him a few more, not all of them seemed to fit with high society. Some of them originated in the poorer districts. After a particularly jumpy one, both of them were gasping for air, and were all sweaty.

"Hah- I think we should stop here." Ichigo told her, breathing heavily.

"I agree, uh that was quite the ride… and I have to say you're a really good dancer, and a fast learner." She complimented him.

"Ha! I'm just that great!" He boasted with a smile.

"I still remember the little brat that begged me to train him. "Please oh great Yoruichi-sama, train this pitiful soul, so he can have power to save his friend from the big bad Shinigami's."" She mocked him. A vein instantly popped on Ichigo's forehead. "And I trained him, fed him, sheltered him..."

"Pierced his stomach with my hand." Ichigo interrupted. Yoruichi blushed, she was hoping he forgot about that.

"Aww you're still mad about that?" She rubbed her neck sheepishly.

"Maybe a bit." He replied.

She crept closer and wrapped her arms around his neck again.

"Then maybe I can make it up to you... somehow." She whispered seductively. Ichigo's face burned up, and he pushed her away gently.

"I'm gonna go take shower… see you soon." He literally ran out of the room for a 'very cold' one. Leaving a smiling cat lady

"Ha looks like little ol' me's still got it." She Shunpo'ed away, her giggle echoing through the room.

* * *

Human World

Since the annual spring banquet was next weekend Yoruichi took it upon herself to make Ichigo resemble a pale imitation of a noble by then. She taught him how do achieve Bankai in three days. So how hard it would be to teach him some manners?

"For millionth kami damned time! That's a fork for salads! Not for fish!" Yoruichi was close to pulling her hair out. Three days of hammering the rules into his head and nothing! "How difficult it is it to remember that?!"

"I don't know alright! They all look the same!" Ichigo exclaimed throwing his hands up. They were currently sitting in his kitchen with all the tableware used at these events.

"They don't!" Yoruichi made choking motions with her hands at him.

From the sidelines Tia was watching the scene with amusement as the two butted heads. It was obvious that they had history.

BUT!

Tia would really be happier if the dance lessons weren't so…intimate. Each time the violet haired beauty pressed her body to Ichigo's, or rested her head on his shoulder, she felt a stab of jealousy.

It was blatantly obvious for everyone, except Ichigo, that the woman was hitting on him.

'Never thought that his… denseness would prove to be useful.' Tia thought, savoring her coffee.

Yoruichi visited the Kurosaki's household every evening to teach Ichigo the ways of nobility. That gave Tia the time to properly observe the Cat Lady. While they spent a lot of time together in school, it was obvious that Yoruichi had to hide much of her personality and quirks. But here…

"Ok let's make a deal. Each time you mess up I will remove a piece of clothing." Yourichi stated firmly. Then she looked slyly at Tia. "But if you get it right she will instead.''

That comment made Tia spit out her coffee violently.

"What?!" Tia and Ichigo asked/exclaimed at the same time.

"Well you obviously need some sort of motivation." She grinned.

"That's not motivation! No matter if I'm right or wrong one of you remove clothes!" Ichigo protested.

"Now the million dollar question is which one do you want to see naked more." She chuckled.

The orange haired boy blushed crimson, looking between both women. Boy how he wanted a Hollow to attack at the moment.

"It doesn't matter, it's not like Tia would agree to it." Ichigo mumbled.

Yoruichi gave Tia a challenging look, raising one eyebrow.

**'Grrr this BITCH! She thinks that she's all that!'** Tiburon growled. **'Are you just gonna let her do what she wants!'**

'Are you suggesting I actually take the challenge?' Tia inquired hesitantly.

**'Of course! Or is everything you said to Orihime just a bluff?'** Tiburon pressed. '**You need to step up your game Ti-chan, or she'll snatch that fish away from you!'**

"Very well." Tia said in a flat tone, surprising both of them. She felt a little bit of satisfaction noticing Yoruichi's eyes narrow a bit.

Obviously she was counting on Tia not taking the bait.

'Who would have thought…' Yoruichi mused dryly. It seemed that her plan backfired…

"WHAT?!" Ichigo exclaimed. "Tia you can't be serious!"

"I am serious. If that's what it takes for you to master this knowledge... I will gladly assist you." She said with a perfectly straight face. Then she decided to gamble. Maybe it was Tiburon's nagging, or the presence of an annoying rival, but what left Tia's mouth was heavily out of character for her. "Unless you find my appearance lacking, and seeing it will discourage you from learning…"

Tia couldn't recall herself ever being so petty and concerned by others opinions on her looks.

"Of course not! You don't lack anything!" Ichigo said hotly, surprising both of them. "You're beautif-" He paused in mid-world, blushing madly..

Tia had do admit that felt damned good to hear. Even more when she spotted a frown forming on Yoruichi's face.

'You're not the only one who can play this game, Shinigami.' Tia looked her straight in the eyes.

"Then let's give Ichigo some space here to review all the notes I gave him, and we'll try this." Yoruichi said indicating that she wanted to talk business.

"Be sure to practice while reading, it helps to memorize." Tia offered some advice as she left the room.

They moved to the living room, neither of them taking a seat. Tia folded her arms beneath her breasts waiting for the other woman to speak.

"I admit you surprised me there, Sharky." Yoruichi said. "Never thought that you had it in you."

"I'd prefer it if you called me by name, Yoruichi-san." Tia replied flatly.

"Now don't be such a stiff." She chuckled. "I did it to help poor little Ichigo learn for your benefit."

"Obviously…" Tia said in a deadpan manner.

"Still for you to use such a dirty method to get a reaction… nice." Yoruichi played with her hair. "It seems that I underestimated you."

"I just asked for his opinion." Tia shrugged. "Apparently he find my looks sufficient... well maybe more than sufficient."

"Don't you say…" Yoruichi said in dangerously calm voice. "Well I guess we'll see soon enough which one is more to his tastes."

Tia glared at her in silence. Obviously the woman was confident that she would win. From what Ichigo told her about Yoruichi, that wasn't really surprising. The woman's middle name could very well be Confidence. She was beautiful, fit, and intelligent, not to mention powerful.

Tia had to admit that much.

**'So are you! And your rack is way bigger than hers!'** Tiburon exclaimed.

"I think we have given him enough time to prepare." Tia said.

"That eager to strip for him?" Yoruichi teased earning a frosty glare.

Both ladies entered the kitchen only to find it… empty.

There was a note on the table.

Yoruichi picked it up and read aloud.

"I need to go somewhere, see ya later Ichigo." The note crumbed in her hands. "You know I sometimes wonder if he's into women at all…"

Tia found herself nodding. What kind of man would run when two attractive women offered to lose their clothes for him, no matter what he did?

* * *

With Ichigo

"That was close one.." Ichigo mumbled, making some rather sizable distance between his home and himself.

**'Uwaaaaa!'** Hichigo wailed. '**Uwaaaaaa!'**

'What the hell?" Ichigo thought.

_'I think you broke him Ichigo.'_ Zangestu said, not being able to hide his own amusement._ 'Apparently he was not able to withstand the pressure of not being able to see one of them naked.'_

**'Ahhhhhhhhhwaaaaa!**' Hichigo wailed even louder. **'WWWWWHHHHYYYYY!?'**

Ichigo grumbled at the drama his Hollow was pulling, it was no big deal after all. He just ran from two beautiful women ready to drop their clothes for his sake…

Ichigo stopped mid-step in the street.

Taking a second to think about it, it sounded like he made a grave mistake….

**'NOOOOOOO!'**

Suddenly his phone buzzed, indicating that he got a message.

It was from Isshin.

Isshin: Yoruichi told me everything. You suck, don't come back home. Love Dad.

Ichigo let a growl, but before he managed to write a reply he got another message.

Urahara: Arararara, Yoruichi told me that you didn't want to see her naked. (I totally get that, nothing special.) But Halibel-san? Shame on you Kurosaki.

Ichigo felt his blood start to boil.

Tessai: Don't worry Ichigo-dono, there is no shame in what you did! You can always come visit me if you want to get away from those pesky girls."

Tessai's message made him feel a bit better.

Tessai: What's more we can have a sleepover, and pillow fight in just our pajamas! Then we can cuddle all night!

Ichigo suddenly felt a lot worse than before.

Tessai: Pardon me Ichigo-dono. Yoruichi-dono took my phone.

"Goddamn morons all of them…" Ichigo sighed. He had to admit that Tia's words surprised him. Why would she take part in Yoruichi's madness was beyond him. She was always dignified and polite, so her recent behavior puzzled Ichigo.

He noticed that she seemed slightly more open towards him. Not to mention she seemed to touch him more often, putting her hand on his shoulder or simply brushing by him when passing through in halls. Despite them being wide enough. Not to mention that he sleeps with her in one bed now. More than once they woke up in each other arms.

Ichigo blushed recalling few a few "morning" incidents when the fact that he was a healthy male showed very clearly.

Now that he was thinking about it Yoruichi seemed a bit off too. Her usual pervert-ness aside, she seemed to cling to him even closer. Also she started to give him long looks with those alluring golden cat-like eyes.

'Since when the hell did they become alluring?!' Ichigo shook his head.

Still... it wasn't only those two that were acting weird.

Orihime asking him out on a date was also so sudden. He liked Hime very much, he could not, or won't deny that. She was adorable when she was blushing or stumbling over her words. But she was also honest to a fault and a genuinely good person.

The last person to cross his mind was Rukia. Yes she's been angry with him for the whole situation with Tia, but Ichigo knew it was worry for his well being. She was his loyal friend, and she never let him down when he needed her help. She was brash and rude, but surprisingly gentle at the same time. She, like the three previous girls, was giving him some odd looks lately.

'Ha it's as if they all like me and are after me at the same time.' Ichigo chuckled, shaking his head. 'Geez my hormones are really doing a number on me.'

**'NOOOOOOOO!**' This time Ichigo could hear agony in his Hollow's scream.

* * *

Soul Society

Ichigo stood in front of his HQ gates waiting for Yoruichi. The remaining days passed quickly, and before he knew it, the banquet was upon him. Luckily for him there were no more offers for a strip lessons. Though for some reason Tia and Yoruichi asked him if he found this or other guy attractive.

Strange.

Ichigo was nervous, really nervous. It wasn't because it was his first banquet, nor that it was held by nobility. The reason of his worry would soon arrive. He was praying silently that his date wouldn't be dressed in anything to reveling, or worse go there naked. Not to mention that her personality really wasn't in tune with anything nobility-connected.

'Please don't let her embarrass me too much!' Ichigo prayed silently.

**'Or maybe make a man out of you, faggot.'** Hichigo mumbled from the back of his mind. **'Kami knows that you need a really good lay.'**

For some reason his Hollow was much more vicious with him these days.

'Stop being delusional. She's way out of my league. She just likes to mess with me.' Ichigo replied with a sigh.

**'Of course she is you gigantic moron!'** He exploded.** 'If you asked her to, she would drop whatever she's wearing in a flash!'**

'How do you know that?' Ichigo asked, actually curious about the answer. 'You seem pretty certain about that.'

**'I'm basically your instinct incarnate, and I know when a woman wants it. She practically bathes you in her pheromones every time you two meet.'** Hichigo answered.

'Nah she's always like that…' Ichigo hesitated; he did notice that in recent days she was little more... active.

**'Ya got my point, and if ya still need proof… compliment her'** Hichigo added in a tone indicating he just couldn't believe he said that.

'Excuse me?' Ichigo asked flabbergasted.

**'Ya deaf? I said to say that she look's good or something, and watch her reaction.'** He instructed.

'I heard you the first time. I just can't believe that it was you who said it. Damn maybe you are really evolving.' He added sarcastically.

**'Fuck you! I'm just preparing my future sex slaves for when I finally beat the crap out of your sorry ass.'** He roared.

'Tsk like that'll ever happen… horse.' Ichigo grinned, tuning out the wave of profanities coming from his inner asshole.

He looked at his watch. She should be here at 4 PM, and the party starts at 6 PM. He waited patiently for her. After a half hour he knew that they would be late. Just as he was about to give up he saw a carriage moving towards the gate.

His jaw hung loose as the luxurious ride stopped in front of him. The carriage was made of metal and wood. It was painted in imperial purple. The golden ornaments shined proudly in the sun. The golden Shihōin Family Crest was engraved on the doors of the carriage. Two white horses were harnessed to it.

"It like a Ferrari." Ichigo muttered. He watched the couch coming down from his seat and bow deeply to him. Then he moved and opened the doors revealing it's passenger.

At that moment Ichigo's mind shut down. He just couldn't comprehend what he was seeing. Yoruichi Shihoin stepped out the carriage gently holding the carter's hand.

She was dressed in a long purple dress, matching her hair. The dress was sleeveless and backless, tied around her neck, revealing her well-toned back, and emphasizing her voluptuous curves. Her long flowing hair was tied in a bun, and was filed with many golden clips, matching her eyes. Her arms were adorned with long white gloves.

She smiled gently at him.

"So how do I look?" She asked with smile.

"I..ah…wow." Ichigo blushed furiously. Youichi was just simply stunning. He even noticed the very delicate golden mascara on her eyes. She was beautiful on daily basis, but right now she stepped it up to another level.

"You look…." He stumbled again, licking his suddenly dry lips. Yoruichi could feel her smile widened as he tried to say something, but was too embarrassed to say it. "…You are gorgeous." Ichigo finally choked out, blushing even more.

Yoruichi's golden eyes widened with slight blush darkening her cheeks. She felt a warmth blossom in her chest as she watched the teen.

"Thank you." She gestured him toward the carriage. The carter helped her first, and then moved to Ichigo but he gestured him that he was fine. The man bowed and returned to his seat. The carriage took off to their destination, the Kuchiki Mansion.

On their way Yoruichi had him repeat the most essential of the customs and gestures of nobility. While she reviewed things to Ichigo, he was stealing glances at her. Not to mention every time she caught him staring, she gave him a wink which caused poor boy to blush.

A good way to occupy the time.

After two hours they arrived, half an hour late. Quickly they exited the carriage.

"I told you we would be late." Ichigo complained.

"Ever heard of being fashionably late?" She asked. Ichigo scowled at her.

"Ever heard of being punctual?" She smirked mischievously, and crept closer.

"Ever heard of…" She whispered the rest of the sentence into Ichigo's ear, making him flush.

"Pervert." He muttered. "Anyways lets get in there. I doubt that if we waste any more time we'll be consider fashionable." He proposed diplomatically.

"Ah fine." She grumbled. "You're no fun." Ichigo chuckled at her antics.

"So shall we." He offered her his armm and put his brand new noble face on. Yoruichi looked at him with an incredulous stare.

Now Ichigo's eyes were focused, and his face turned into a mask. A fake smile and cool arrogance now adorned his face. Ichigo looked like a pure noble. She really didn't liked it.

"If I didn't know you better, I'd say that you were of noble-arrogant-birth." She told him. Ichigo dropped his mask and laughed.

"I see that it was good then." He stated.

"Almost too good." She mumbled. "Since when did you to practice that?" She asked.

"I adapt easily." He grinned, omitting the part where he practiced his noble face in front of a mirror in between lessons. "Today, from what you've said, I have to act as a noble. So that's what I'm gonna do." Yoruichi raised her eyebrows.

"I didn't know you had that side to you." She admitted with amusement.

"I have few a secrets left, even from you." Ichigo replied.

"Hooo? Is that a challenge?" She wrapped her arms around his tighter.

"Possibly." He chuckled, trying to keep his game face on.

But despite his cool exterior, he was really nervous. He was about to meet the elite of the elite in the Soul Society. The people who created its law system, and all the traditions. The people who let countless atrocities go unpunished in Rukongai, and watched indifferently at the suffering of poor, while bathing in wealth.

The experiences of past few weeks filled him with a sort of bitterness. The comfortable bubble of ignorance he lived in was punctured.

Meanwhile, as Ichigo was deep in his own thoughts, Yoruichi studied his face. She didn't liked what she saw. Despite his best efforts to keep a neutral face, some amount of bitterness still graced in his features.

'I sometimes forget how young he is.' She thought sadly, feeling a pang of sympathy for him. 'He's really too young to have so much weighed on him.' Yoruichi suddenly felt some foreboding about this venture. Was he ready for this? Really ready for this? At least she was with him tonight. She walked closer, and gripped his arm more firmly. Ichigo looked at her, giving her questioning look.

"Cheer up berry-boy." She smiled smugly. "Being all depressed really doesn't suit you." Ichigo smiled faintly at her comment.

"I guess." He looked around. They had crossed the main gate a good ten minutes ago, and were still walking by some sort of park or high treed garden. "Just how big is this damn place?"

"Don't worry. We should see the main building just about… now." They came around a bend, and Ichigo's jaw hit the ground.

"This isn't a damn mansion, this is a freaking town." Ichigo deadpanned. Indeed he was right. The whole place could be considered a small town. The main, seven floor high, building made of white stone and a greenish roof, was surrounded by dozens of smaller ones. From their position Ichigo could only see about half of the what was there. "They could stuff at least a thousand people in there."

"Two thousand, to be precise." She corrected him. "The Kuchiki family is quite large, and some of their servants live with them."

"And I'm guessing the banquet is probably in the big one." He pointed to the main building.

"Yep."

"I can see other carriages from here… Why didn't we just ride directly to the building?" He asked.

"I wanted to take you on a walk before the party." She smiled innocently. "Besides I thought it would be better to sneak in then go through the main door…."

"I don't believe it." Ichigo stated.

"What?" She asked puzzled.

"Your nervous." He said suddenly, catching her off guard.

"What?!" She nearly shouted. "Like hell I'm nervous! It's just a stiff party for stuck ups." She pouted.

"Wasn't your family invited?" He asked, and hit the jackpot. Her eyes fell down, and she put on a pained expression.

"Yes." She mumbled

"You were the one who pushed me into doing this, and now you're worried about going." Ichigo had to ask even if he already knew the answer. "Are these parties really that bad?"

"Yes." She looked at him sadly. "I was disinherited and dishonored… and I can't even use my surname anymore…" Ichigo felt a pang of sympathy for the cat lady. He put his hand on her shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly.

"Hey, cheer up. I won't let anything bad happened to you. After all, your date is the Soul Society's greatest hero of all time." Ichigo boasted. Yoruichi cracked a smile, feeling slightly better. "So how about we show those blue bloods that we aren't afraid of any of them?"

"I like the way you think." She grinned. "Let's liven things up." They both grinned devilishly, and walked confidently towards the main building.

As they got closer Ichigo noticed the wide white stairs leading to the large entry. Now that he could get a closer look at the building itself, he noticed the building was ornamented with various sculptures. Each showing some episode from Kuchiki family history. It had many windows that were now lit, and some silhouettes could be seen in them. As they were about enter the building, they were spotted by the guards.

"May I see your invitations?" The guard asked. Ichigo handed him his invitation. "Commander Kurosaki Ichigo and…" The guard looked Yoruichi up and down.

"Yoruichi Shihoin." Ichigo told him. The man nodded and motioned them to follow. They passed a few corridors, before stopping in front of a set of large doors.

The two men guarding them opened the doors and let them in. The man guiding them came to a stop just inside the doors, and took a deep breath.

"Kido Corps Commander Ichigo Kurosaki, and Lady Yoruichi Shihoin have arrived." He announced loudly. The whole room grew silent as people turned to face them. Waves of whispers spread among the crowd almost instantly.

Ichigo noticed a few familiar faces. Unohana and Ukitake were looking up at them with knowing smiles. Kyoraku's jaw was hanging loosely, and his eyes were glued to Yoruichi. His companion Nanao was just about to deliver him a painful punch. And there it was. Shinji and Hiyori both choked on their drinks. Rojuro and Lisa sent them toothy grins. Kensei looked at them blankly, while Mashiro waved at them enthusiastically. Komamura, and surprisingly, Matsumoto were flabbergasted just as much as well as Tōshirō and Momo were. However those were the positive reactions.

The last two pairs of people he recognized had vastly different looks about them. Byakuya stared at Yoruichi irritation clear in his expression, as well as Rukia some reason Ichigo couldn't fathom.

But the last pair, namely Omaeda and SoiFon, they were a completely different story. Captain SoiFon gawked at Yoruichi with mouth agape. When that little pleasure passed, she looked to the person on her arm, Ichigo.

If the looks could kill Ichigo would have been buried a hundred times over by now. The sheer amount of venom in her stare would be enough to make any lesser man turn around and run, but Ichigo simply returned the glare.

Meanwhile Omaeda, who had the misfortune of being SoiFon's partner for the evening, started to mumble prayers. He knew she would have to find someone to vent her frustration on…

Suddenly a lone soul began clapping. Another joined in seconds later. And then another, and soon whole room erupted into a storm of applause.

Nobles swarmed Ichigo, successfully cutting him off from Yoruichi. His eyes cried out for help as she vanished from sight. Every single noble wanted to shake his hand or pat his back. Not to mention that the daughters of the wealthy families wanted to make an big impression on him. Despite the fact that not a single one even got close to Yoruichi, not in beauty nor power.

After some time he finally and plenty of persuading he managed to ditch the crowd, and went to look for his date. In the meantime during his search he took a better look around the room.

The room was large, so large that it actually had two floors with wide stairs leading to the upper level. It was lit brightly by orbs of light, which Ichigo identified as Kido. It was decorated with all the pompous style of XVI Japan. The buffet tables were placed near the walls of the room, leaving a wide space free for mingling and dancing.

Ichigo looked around for a while, but couldn't find Yoruichi. He decided to check upstairs next. Just when he was about to go a hand landed on his arm. He turned around, seeing it belonged to Kyoraku.

"Yo Ichigo-kun, how about you join us for a moment?" He motioned him to come to the assembled group of Captains. Ichigo wanted to find his date, but let himself be dragged there. At least he knew these people. When they arrived he was greeted with curious stares.

"Sooo…" Kyoraku began. "How did you do it?"

"Do what?" Ichigo replied.

"Don't play dumb Ichigo." Shinji grinned. "How did you get Yoruichi to come with you?"

"Tell me every exact detail." Kyoraku demanded.

"Is this about finding a girl that didn't need to be ordered to be out with you?" He shot back. Kyoraku's face blanched as a shadow cast over his eyes. The others laughed, surprisingly that included Nanao.

"So cruel, so cruel." He sulked in a corner he found, a dark cloud with rain above him.

"Ha! Good one. Now really, tell us how you did it." Matsumoto cut in. Everyone staring at him with anticipation, even SoiFon.

"Honestly she came to me, and asked me to take her." He was met with disbelieving stares. "I wasn't going to come at first, but she really pushed for me to go. I eventually just caved." He grinned at their shocked expressions.

"Tsk. Like hell Yoruichi-sama would ask YOU of all people to go with her." Soifon snorted, giving him a mocking look. "Probably asked out of pity for the unmannered brat, not wanting him to make a fool out of himself."

At first Ichigo felt his temper rise, but then an idea struck. One so devilish that even his Hollow paused at it.

SoiFon expected him to snap at her, or at least say something immature and childishly insulting.

What she got she would never have thought in her wildest dreams.

"Now now, Captain SoiFon. People always play right into my hands." Ichigo said with a gentle condescending smile, while emitting an aura of superiority and control. "You of all people should know best."

The other Captains looked on with mouths agape. The posture, mannerisms, and aura he was bearing were way too similar to a person they would have all liked to forget.

"Ichigo-kun stop playing. That joke is in rather poor taste." Unohana smiled at him, but he could see that there was a tense undertone in her voice.

"Yeah Ichigo soo not funny." Shinji backed her up, and the rest of them nodded.

"I agree." Tōshirō looked at him warily.

"C'mon guys he was just…" Matsumoto started.

Of course Ichigo being Ichigo, he didn't get the hint.

"Ichigo?" He interrupted Matsumoto with such a cold tone, that she actually turned back to him. "Oh you mean the Ryoka-boy?" He chuckled, actually pulling quite a realistic copy of Aizen's infamous laugh. "Sorry he is currently… unavailable."

Depsite keeping the façade, Ichigo was cackling inside. Just the shocked and worried look on the usually impassive Byakaya's face was worth the hell he'd get for this.

Ichigo finally could not contain it any longer, and broke out laughing.

It took the assorted Captains a few seconds to realize that they'd been duped.

"Kami! Hahaha you should haahaha see your f-faces hahahaa! Who's got a camera?" Ichigo had to support himself by leaning on a wall.

He missed how their faces slowly morphed from shock to anger.

"Ichigo you bastard!" Rukia growled. "That had to be one of the most stupid things you've done… this week!"

"Not cool man." Shinji grumbled. "You made me relive way to much!"

"Agreed, you're an asshole." Hiyori snarled, glaring at Ichigo.

"Ichigo I suggest you visit me tomorrow to have a thorough mental examination." Unohana told him with a very, very cold smile.

"Immature insolent brat." SoiFon scowled at him, with a slight blush. She could not believe that he got under her skin that easily.

"Oh come on guys it was just a joke." Ichigo rolled his eyes. "Besides I wasn't even trying that hard."

"Well it wasn't funny for us." Komamura leveled a stern gaze at him. "Your impression of that traitor is definitely not humorous."

"Ok. Ok." Ichigo rose his hands in defeat. "I'm sorry. I won't do it again." He apologized with a sigh.

"Apology accepted." Ukitake told him with a smile, yet bit cautiously. At that point Ichigo felt that it was his time to go find his date.

"Glad we're cool now. Sorry, but I'm gonna go find my date." He excused himself quickly point to the crowd around them in general.

No one spoke a word for few moments.

"Damn that brat. I nearly had to change my pants." Shinji sighed, shaking his head.

"Mashiro was scared too." The green haired girl whined. "Ichigo was scary."

"Oh don't tell me you were afraid of him?" SoiFon asked, folding her arms tightly. "He couldn't even pass for a third rate actor."

"We all saw how well his acting worked on you." Shinji twisted his face into a mask of terror. "You even backed away from him a step."

"I did nothing of the sort!" She exclaimed, her cheeks reddening again.

"Right... you looked worse." Rojuro added laughing. "But I have to give him a credit, he mimicked Aizen perfectly. Even that goddamn chuckle of his."

"Who knew that he had the talent." Unohana smiled, even letting a little laugh out. "Ichigo-san continues to surprise us all, doesn't he? To be able to mimic a man so well whom he only met a few times."

"Yeah. Almost too well." SoiFon mumbled, earning heavy looks for the rest gathered.

"Captain SoiFon, while the Kurosaki's joke was in very poor taste, I think that that assumption is a little too far." Byakya defended him. "If we start to think like that, any of us could be the traitor."

"I agree with Captain Kuchiki." Kensei told them. "It was just a stupid joke the brat knew would get a rise out of us."

"Seems that it worked too perfectly." Toshiro said in an icy tone. Hinamori didn't take Ichigo's joke at all well. She was ghastly pale. "Excuse us, she needs to lay down for a bit."

"It would be best if we just forgot about his little prank. He's still just a kid after all." Kyoraku said. "He's privileged to have some fun every now and then.."

"It's easy to forget that with him, isn't it?" Ukitake asked, the rest nodded, except SoiFon. She was righteously pissed off.

* * *

After countless handshakes and pats on the back, Ichigo managed to get upstairs. Somehow the second floor was dimly illuminated. Lodges were placed all around this level, giving some sense of privacy to the guests that wanted to talk in private.

Ichigo focused and began to search for his date's Reiatsu. He found her in the darkest corner, sipping her drink gloomily, and not her first one either. She saw him coming and smiled.

"Whassup?"

"Nothing except for a boring party for nobles." He sat next to her. "I have to say that being famous is surprisingly tiresome." She chuckled.

"What was that sudden rise in everyone's Reiatsu?" She asked.

"Oh... that." He rubbed back of his head embarrassed. "I kinda pulled a little prank on the other Captains, and they got a bit irate with me."

"No way, tell me!" Her eyes glimmered. Ichigo told her about his little joke. When he finished she was laughing loudly, supporting herself on his arm.

"Kami, haha I can't breathe hahaha! That was gold, I wish I was there." She managed to hold in her laughter. "Hey, do Aizen from me."

"No."

"Please."

"Forget it."

"Pwetty please." Her pout stared to form.

"Ok fine. Close your eyes for a moment." Ichigo finally relented, knowing that he had already lost.

"Ok open them… Yoruichi-san." He finished in his Aizen voice. Her eyes snapped open, and she stared at him, shocked. He really did do a good impression of the man.

Taking on his former enemy's voice with the addition of the dim lighting, made the effect far more realistic then before.

"Wow, you're good Ichigo. No wonder they were worried." She praised him, but the coldness from his eyes didn't disappear.

"Childs play, Yoruichi-san, as it always is." He told her looking at her with a cold smile.

"If I didn't knew better I would really believe you were him." Her smile faded. "Ok, that's enough." Ichigo chuckled.

'I have to test this on Dad.' He decided to heed to her request. Experience from downstairs taught him that much, yet the urge was strong.

"No wonder they got pissed off." She grumbled, turning her back to him.

"Oh come on! You wanted me to do it. Begged even." He defended himself… again. "How am I supposed to be convincing, if I don't play the part?" Yoruichi sighed guessing that she really did ask for it.

"I know, but I was worried." She looked at him sadly. "With that bastard's powers that scenario could be all too possible…" Ichigo watched her surprised. 'I wouldn't know what I would do if you were dead.' Yoruichi added in her mind.

Ichigo took her hand, and squeezed it gently.

"Hey, look, I'm sorry."

"Nah its fine. Lets just change this depressing subject." Yoruichi replied lightly.

"No problem. So what have you been doing while I was accosted by fans?" Ichigo inquired curiously.

"Nothing much, just focusing on being invisible." She replied with a sigh. "I guess being banished one hundred years ago is still a thing for these guys. Even people who I personally knew and treated as friends at one point, act like they don't know me…"

"What a bunch of assholes." Ichigo growled. "Just ignore them. Besides I thought we agreed to liven up this party?" Ichigo said with smirk, suddenly disliking the party even more.

"Liven things up you say." She leaned in close, and caressed his cheek. "What did you have in mind, Ichi-kuuun?" She looked at him sultry. Ichigo blushed, and gently took her hand off his face.

"Not that kind of fun." He replied, and instantly regretted his worlds when Yoruichi's eyes started to shimmer.

"So you treat IT as fun, huhu. I never thought you had it in you." She giggled, and took another sip of her wine.

"You know I didn't mean it that way." He stuttered in embarrassment.

"Oh really?" She crept closer, pressing her bust against his arm. "What did you have in mind then?" She purred into his ear. Yoruichi took her sweet time, and looked deeply into Ichigo's eyes. Knowing full well that the boy was unable to look the other way.

"Well…I…no…dancing, drinking maybe?" He choked, and like Yoruichi predicted, he was not able to break his gaze from hers. Those yellow, cat like eyes held something alluring in them. The duo were not aware of how close they were actually sitting, nor that their heads were slowly leaning towards each other.

"Ehem! Am I interrupting something?"

A voice boomed over them, and they jumped apart, both blushed madly. Ichigo turned his head to see who had interrupted their "conversation". He was surprised to find a pair of green orbs drilling a hole into his skull.

Those eyes belonged to Rurichiyo Kasumiōji, a noble girl that Ichigo helped out a while ago. The little blonde had grown a few inches, and had a deep blush on her face. As well as the boy standing next to her. Shū Kannogi had also grown a little, but besides that hadn't change at all. He still had unkempt brown hair and gray eyes.

"No not at all." Ichigo replied quickly. Rurichiya snorted in a very un-lady like fashion.

"Hmph. Well what should I expect from a commoner." She looked down her nose at him sternly, but soon her features softened and she smiled widely. "Its good to see you Ichigo-san." She walked closer and offered him her hand. Ichigo grabbed it and pulled her in light hug, ruffing her hair (completely destroying it).

"I'm happy to see you too you obnoxious brat." He let go of the flustered princess, and offered his hand to Shuu. "I see she's not the only one who's gotten bigger." Shuu took his hand firmly.

"Indeed, Ichigo-san." He smiled.

"Oh and where are my manners…" He began.

"Good question." Yoruichi interrupted, drawing laughs from the two younger kids.

"This is my date for the evening, Yoruichi Shihoin." The younger duo bowed, and greeted the cat lady kindly.

"So how have you been doing?" Ichigo asked. Rurichiya and Shuu explained to them the mess they had to clean up after Kumoi's betrayal. The following month the Kasumioji family lost many of it's supporters and status, but thanks to the young heiress's efforts, the family managed to nullify the losses and regain their former position.

"I know I said it before, but me and my family owe you a great debt. If you ever need help, just ask and the Kasumioji family and all of our vassals will come to your aid." She announced, and Shuu nodded eagerly.

"I don't know what to say, but thanks for your support." He smiled at the younger girl. "And your friendship, both of you." Rurichiya blushed, and Shuu beamed.

"Well we shall take our leave now. Don't want to interrupt your festivities more than we have." She grinned. Ichigo turned red as tomato, while Yoruichi burst out laughing.

"Why you little…" He growled, but the pair had already walked away. "I hate dealing with kids." He growled with a grin.

"Aww come on. You handled the little princess well." She looked at him cockily. "I'm sure if she was older…"

"Don't you dare finish that." He warned her.

"Hai, Commander-sama." She mocked him. They continued the game of jabs for some time, enjoying each others company. Until the sound of a gong rung out.

"What's that?" Ichigo asked, puzzled.

"Get up! It's time to dance." She replied while getting to her own feet. The duo went down stairs, and noticed that nobles were leaving the room.

"Where are they going?" Ichigo asked, to which Yoruichi rolled her eyes.

"To the gardens, duh."

"Hey, that's not fair." Ichigo complained.

"It totally is, Mr Aizen's rip off." She laughed a little tipsy.

"Don't tease me, or I will start to act like him too." He threatened her.

"Forgive this lowly soul for insulting your pride, oh great Commander." She hung on his arm. Ichigo chuckled as he let himself be led to the gardens. As left the main building they had time to admire the beauty and perfection of Kuchiki garden.

The pink leafed Sakura trees moved majestically with the light wind. The lawn was perfectly cut. The weather was warm, and the sun was setting, making the scene even more beautiful.

The crowd of people moved to the large paved plaza. The nobles started to line up in some sort of pattern, which Ichigo couldn't follow. He sent a questioning look to his partner.

"Well I suppose this is a good opportunity for introductions." She pointed to the top of the line of nobles. "In the spring dance, the order of the people goes from the highest ranked to lowest. So it goes the host of the party, the Captain Commander, but he never comes. Central 46 elder council members, which there are eight. Two from each great family, the divisions from highest to lowest, the four great family heads, the rest of Central 46, and finally the minor nobles." She explained. "Those two…"

"Hmph looks like at least something remained from your times as one of the Shihoin." A voice interrupted her rudely. Ichigo immediately noticed the shift in Yoruichi's expression. Changing from shock to sad and pained.

He instantly decided he really didn't liked the owner of the voice.

Turning around and putting his "noble" face on, Ichigo met a dark skinned man with yellow eyes and black hair. He was shorter than Ichigo, but had a bulkier build. He wore a smile but Ichigo could see disgust in his eyes directed at Yoruichi. Beside him stood a petty blonde noble with a bored expression on her face.

"And you are?" Ichigo asked politely, surprising himself at how calm he sounded.

"Pardon me, my name is Yamazaki Shihoin, 23rd head of Shihoin Clan. It is a pleasure to meet you." He offered his hand. Ichigo took it and shook it firmly.

"Likewise, I am Ichigo Kurosaki, Commander of the Kido Corps." He replied with his own fake smile, trying to keep his temper in check.

"I know, you are quite famous." He patted his arm. "You don't even know how grateful the people of Soul Society are to you. You've saved us all with that strength of yours." Yamazaki praised him profusely.

"Don't mention it, it was nothing." Ichigo told him, making the man's smile widen.

"And humble at that. I think we could become great friends. Excuse me for now though, I must take my place in the dance. It was a pleasure talking to you." He turned and started to walk away, but he suddenly stopped. "Oh and one friendly bit of advice, next time you should choose someone more suitable to be your partner. A disgraced noble with a pretty face is hardly befitting your rank." He gazed at Yoruichi with pure hatred. "But I guess we can let it slip this once, since you are new to all this Commander Kurosaki."

"I will keep that in mind." Ichigio replied frostily. Yamazaki smiled in satisfaction and walked away. "You son of the bitch..." Ichigo muttered the last part.

He turned to Yoruichi, and saw her downcast expression. She was looking at the ground, and was red with embarrassment. Ichigo could swear he saw some unshed tears. In spite of himself he wrapped one arm around her, and pulled her into a half-hug.

"Sorry." She mumbled.

"For what?" He asked surprised.

"That you were dragged into my personal business."

"If my friends' are being hurt in any way then it is my business." He smirked, and she returned the smile slightly. "So how are you related to that bastard? And how hard do you want me to hit him?"

"He's my older Brother." Ichigio's enthusiasm dropped considerably.

"B-Brother?" He choked. Such hatred between siblings was a completely alien concept to him. He would never call either of his sisters "unsuitable" for any one. Quite the opposite in fact. "That jerk is your brother?"

"Yeah. Looks like he still hasn't forgiven me being the 22nd Family Head. I still remember how happy he was when I was exiled…" Ichigo could hear a quite sniff, but before he could do anything she composed herself. "So... where I was, oh yes." She pointed at the first pair.

Ichigo look into that direction, deciding to drop that subject, for now. "Those two are Sakate and Ai Kuchiki." Both of Kuchiki were old, and had grey hair. Sakate was a tall man with a bread and dark brown eyes. Ai was a short woman with her hair tied in a tight bun and had green eyes. Both of them were wearing the usual Kuchiki attire.

"Next to them are Taki and Kime Shihoin." Both of the Shihoin were short with dark skin, gray hair, and cat-like eyes. However Ichigo could see fluidity in their movements. They were dressed in matching purple kimonos.

"Then we have the Toin and Fumi Okimasa." Toin was a skinny man with icy blue eyes and white hair. His partner Fumi was slightly plump, but in a good way. She also had an icy blues eyes and white hair. Both of them wore navy blue kimonos.

"Finally Shun and Maki Hori." She pointed to the last pair. Shun was a large overweight man. His eyes were gray, as well as his hair. His Partner Maki wasn't much better. She was also overweight. She had dark blue eyes. Both of them were dressed in yellow kimonos.

"And that's all of the C46 elders." She finished.

"What a… colorful bunch." Yoruichi chuckled at his comment.

"Best get to our spots, the dance is about to begin." She dragged him into the long line. They stood behind Toshiro and Momo, the latter looking much better. "First the traditional speech." Ichigo groaned. He saw Byakuya walking to the center of the plaza.

"It is a great honor to have so many distinguished guests with us tonight." He began. "We Kuchiki's of the East welcome you into our humble abode…" He started on about the values and traditions they aim to uphold, and other related subjects. After twenty minutes the dance finally began. Gentle music started to fill the plaza as the pairs slowly moved forward.

With Byakuya and Rukia in front, they moved to the center of the plaza and the rest of followed. They turned right, and started to make a huge circle so everyone could fit.

At some point the men and women separated, and made two circles. The outer was made of the men, while the inner was women. They looked at each other, and bowed before starting the dance. Despite the long introduction the dance was relatively short.

After the dance finished tables of food and drinks were brought outside, and the party continued under to moon.

The rest of the night was a blast. Ichigo spent it mainly drinking and dancing with his date. Rukia asked him to dance with her a few times, as well as Unohana, Hiyori, Lisa, Mashiro, Nano, Matsumoto, and even Momo. Not to mention the countless noble ladies of all ages. The term "player" couldn't even describe him. Though he had a suspicion many of the women he knew danced with him just to see him squirm.

Some of the men…cough Kyoraku cough... were traumatized by this. The party lasted till early morning. Yoruichi and Ichigo bid farewell to everyone, and somehow found their carriage.

All the way to his HQ, the cat lady leaned on him, her head resting on Ichigo's shoulder. He didn't object as he melted into the soft sofa of the carriage. He found himself resting his head on top of hers after a while.

Strangely he found that the whole thing felt oddly right.

The ride ended after a while, and the duo reluctantly had to leave the carriage. Yoruichi did a long stretch, stifling a yawn.

"Ichigo, thanks for tonight. It was... surprisingly fun." She smiled tiredly.

"No problem. I had a lot of fun too." He returned the smile.

Yoruichi looked deeply into his eyes, and made a decision. She closed the gap between them, and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Ichigo suspected that it would end on the hug… how wrong he was.

Yoruichi stood on her tiptoes, and pressed her soft lips to his, giving him a gentle kiss. She burrowed her fingers in his hair, enjoying it more than she imagined.

Ichigo on the other hand faced a blackout.

His brain didn't register her actions, deeming it a result of alcohol, or some cosmic power. Because it was not possible that THE Yoruichi Shihoin would be kissing him like this.

Sadly the need of oxygen forced her to eventually end the kiss. She giggled lightly at the absolutely flabbergasted expression on Ichigo's face.

"Next time hold up your end of it." She purred into his ear, and walked back to carriage, leaving the stunned teen behind.

Ichigo just stared after the carriage, and in the general direction it left for quite a while. One could say he didn't blink once…

After some unspecified amount of time Hachi walked out of the building, and tried to call him once he noticed his Commander standing there. When it failed, he walked closer and waved his hand before Ichigo's eyes. No reaction. Hachi sighed and drug his Commander to his bed room, and put him into the bed, hoping that a few hours of sleep would help.

He wasn't wrong.

Later in the afternoon Ichigo woke up and took a shower, a very cold one. That was when he got his expected panic attack.

'Oh my God, oh my God…' He shuddered, not sure if it was because of the cold water, dreams filled with chocolate and vanilla, or the fact that a smoking hot woman kissed him last night.

'Ichigo calm down.' Zangetsu told him concerned.

'Yeah the old goat is right! You should be opening the fuckin champagne! What did I tell ya!'

'She was drunk, that's all…. She didn't mean it like that..' Ichigo tried to reason.

'Sure, and the "Next time hold up your end of it" was just for the heck of it.' Hichigo shot back. 'Grow a pair already, and bang that chick for Kami's sake!'

Ichigo's cheeks heated as he imagined Yoruichi's naked body… scratch that he could vividly remember it, down to the finest details….

'Yup definitely need colder water.'

* * *

Human World

Tia left Eden Hall, content with her progress. She was now equipped with the knowledge of how to make few dozens of drinks. Above that her new employer and teacher was nothing short of a gentleman. He was polite, funny, and caring just as a man should be. Not to mention he was a fantastic psychologist, curing people with alcohol. To say that she was impressed with him would be an understatement. If the world had more people like him it would be much more pleasant place to live.

She caught bus, and after a half hour she was back in the Karaura Town and heading back home.

When she finally got to the right street she saw a shadow quickly pass by the street. She narrowed her eyes, preparing for possible danger. She backed up a few steps, and hid in the deep shadows created by a nearby lantern.

The shadow quickly passed her, and to her surprise she noticed that it was Isshin.

'Wonder what he is doing this late at night?' She wondered. Curiosity got better of her, and she decided to follow him.

She concealed her Reiatsu out of reflex, rather than actual need. She tailed him for some time, since he was taking way too many turns for some simple night walk. After a while she started to recognize the area, and ended up at Urahara Shop.

'Interesting.' Tia thought moving closer.

She walked around the building to the window that was connected to the living room. It was slightly open, and she could hear voices from inside. She looked inside, but from her angle she could only see Tessai's face.

"…Are you sure it will suffice?" She recognized Urahara's voice.

"Yeah, I dispatched a squad to fix the Gate." Isshin told him.

"Are you sure that they are competent enough? Maybe I should head there too." Tessai proposed.

"No need Tessai-san. These guys are professionals, they've done it before." Isshin reassured him.

"Some professionals they are if the Gate needs to constantly be fixed." A voice spoke, which she didn't recognize.

"Oh come one Ryūken, don't insult my men." Isshin whined at Ryuken's comment. 'Ryuken... Ryuken... where have I heard that name?' Tia thought, searching her memory. 'Isn't that Ishida's father?!'

"Anyways that should fix the immediate problem with the Ancients." Urahara stated. Tia's eyes widened in surprise. 'Ichigo needs to know about this.'

"I really think we should tell him." Tessai suddenly cut in. Silence followed his statement.

"Absolutely not." Isshin shot back in tone so serious that it actually surprised Tia.

"Isshin-san he will soon be a legitimate Kido Commander, and will know about them sooner or later." Tessai told him in a serious voice. "He deserves to know."

"I am aware of that, but... he has enough problems on his plate as is. We should spare him this a little while longer." Isshin replied firmly.

"You know he won't simply let it go, and as soon as the seals on books are lifted, he will have the means to reach the Gate on his own." She heard Isshin sigh.

"That's why I want you to slow his training in Kido. At least till we clean up this mess." Isshin demanded. Tia could feel the pregnant silence.

"So you're asking me to undermine your son's fantastic progress in Kido arts, so you have time to fix your mistake?" Tessai asked in fury. "If it wasn't for him you wouldn't even know about it!" Now Tia was really surprised. She wasn't even aware that this man had so much power in his voice.

"I'm with Tessai-san on this, your son will need a power up very soon." Ryuken suddenly cut in. "They're on the move." He spoke in a foreboding tone.

"So soon? I thought we had two years at least?" Urahara asked with worry in his voice.

"We did, but they suddenly started their final preparations. We might not have even half that long anymore." Ryuken told them. They stayed silent for a few minutes pondering on this.

"Ok guys, time to stop with the negativity!" Urahara suddenly shouted. "I have the most recent gossip from the Soul Society. It seems Ichigo is making quite the impact there, Isshin."

"Spill." Isshin urged him with in sudden excitement.

"I heard from a certain cat, that your son visited the Kuchiki's banquet with her." He started.

'Her?' Tia felt her heart stop. She also heard three loud thuds, and judging form Tessai's reaction it was probably their jaws.

"No way! He went on a date with Yoruichi?" Isshin asked flabbergasted.

Tia felt her nails dig into the wooden frame of the window.

"The one and only." The lazy shop owner told them.

"My, my Isshin. Your son is becoming quite the player." Ryuken stated as more of an insult.

"Well at least mine has started showing interest in girls. Can't be said about yours." Isshin shot back. "C'mon Kisuke there has got to be more." The shop owner summarized all that happened at the banquet, successfully pissing of Tia. She really didn't like the whole "I'm Aizen." part.

"Unohana even danced with him." Another series of loud thuds. "Not to mention a few dozen of noble birth ladies."

"Sniff... I'm so proud of my little boy. He's finally taking after his old man." Isshin cried loudly.

Tia clenched her fist tightly in response to the news. The thought of dozens of empty headed nobles fawning over Ichigo really didn't sit well with her.

"Here's the real bombshell. After they got back to the barracks, Yoruichi..." He dramatically paused. "… kissed him."

'She did what!?/She did what!?' Tia and Tiburon explode internally.

"No friggning way… Masaki you hear that? I-Ichigo…" Isshin turned into complete mess of happiness, crying loudly.

"Yep, and she came running back here like an exited teenage girl to tell me about it." Urahara laughed.

"So now he has four women after him... lucky bastard."

Tia grit her teeth. How did they know about her feelings for Ichigo? It's not like she told anyone.

"I knew Yoruichi wouldn't live down Inoue-chan inviting him to a date, she had to top it." Urahara chuckled.

"I'm still placing my bet on my precious Tia-chan!" Isshin rumbled. "I mean they already sleep in the same bed."

'My precious?' She thought dryly.

"Hmm. Who would have thought that she'd be that open about it. Though I guess it's a given with the way she looks at him." Tessai agreed, unknowingly making her blush.

'Am I that obvious?'

"Your son has a rather odd taste in women, Isshin." Ryuken added.

"Atta boy, just like his old man." The Ex-Shinigami said with pride.

"It seems that Ichigo-dono is really growing up. I hope he can handle women of that caliber." Tessai's head suddenly turned to the window. His eyes met Tia's, and held a stare. "But like we agreed, we have to keep Ichigo in the dark about it… for now."

Tia got the message. She left the window and quickly marched back home, trying to make sense of the conversation… and the irritation she felt towards a few people. Especially one dense orange haired boy…

* * *

Ichigo had a sudden sense of oncoming doom as he was making his way home for some reason. He saw that the lights on in his room, meaning that Tia was still up.

'Hmm strange. She should be asleep by now.' Ichigo thought.

He quietly entered the house, and made his way to his room. There he found his roommate sitting on the bed with and expression he couldn't quite place.

Something between slight irritation, mixed with anxiousness, and an addition of determination?

All in all she looked like she was set on doing something.

"I'm back Tia. Is everything alright? You look kind of worked up?" Ichigo said slowly, moving closer to the bed.

What he wasn't anticipating was for her to stand up, close the gap between them, grab his face and then promptly smash her lips against his.

Ichigo stopped working due to a critical error.

Waiting for reboot.


	14. Memories&Secrets part I

Initializing reboot process in 3…2…1…

Rebooting...

Ichigo had a funny dream. It seemed like he went to some stuck up party in the Seireitei, met the asshole of a brother of his sensei, and then got a very sweet kiss from the one, and only, Goddess of Flash, Yoruichi Shihoin.

But the dream got weirder still.

Next he returned to his home where his friend and roommate, upon his entry, did exactly the same. The only difference was Tia's kiss was sloppy and demanding. But one couldn't say it lacked enthusiasm.

You see that was why this dream was so funny. While Yoruichi might have done what she did as a spur of moment thing, there was no way Tia would do the same.

Right?

You see the problem is that Ichigo is already up and he has been pinching himself for quite a few seconds now…

'It's not a dream…' His eyes grew to the size of platers when he fully realized what was happening right now.

Normally he would go into panic mode and probably push her back. But that would surely hurt her feelings… like a lot. So Ichigo had to force himself to stay still… as if the word "force" could be ever applied to being kissed by an extremely beautiful woman.

**'At least fucking hug her!'** Hichigo snapped, waking him up from his daze. Automatically Ichigo wrapped his arms around Tia's frame. He blushed even more when he felt her breasts against his chest.

'It's really happening….' He thought numbly, as Tia's tongue explored his mouth.

The kiss continued for a good minute or so, until the need for air became to great. They slowly parted looking into each others eyes… in silence.

A silence that started to turn very awkward as it prolonged. Ichigo was too stunned to say anything, and Tia, for all her planning and strategies, never really considered what to do after she kissed him.

A rather grave oversight. Not to mention she started to feel slightly embarrassed, as her cheeks slowly but steadily started to gain color.

**'Kami almighty say something!'** Tiburon exclaimed in ire. **'Don't just stare at him!'**

"I..."

"Tia.."

They spoke at the same time, afterword falling into an even more awkward silence. They could almost hear their Inner Hollows face-palming.

"Ichigo my SON!"

Suddenly Isshin barged in ready to lecture his one and only son about going to sleep so late. But he stopped in his tracks at what he saw. Ichigo and Tia both red faced, closely embracing each other.

"Carry on my SON! KAMI CARRY ON!" He exclaimed with tears coming out his eyes, before he left the room shutting the door shut carefully.

"Gyah!" Ichigo finally snapped out of his daze, and jumped away from Tia like she burned him. His face by now resembled a tomato that was about to burst. He looked at her in shock, starting to sputter gibberish.

Tia closed her eyes and took a deep breath. That could've gone better.

"Ichigo." She said firmly, stopping him from making a fool out of himself any longer. She noticed that he got even more nervous, even gulping. "You… understand right?"

Tia felt the unusual need to scream. That sounded way better in her head. When said aloud it sounded almost like a threat.

To prove her assumption Ichigo fidgeted with his eyes widening.

"Y-Yes, I think I do…" He shuddered, which would be funny in any other situation.

"I do not need an answer now." Tia said, unsure of how to interpret the relief on his face.

"How long have you… liked me?" Ichigo asked gathered his courage.

"I am not sure… You saved my life and gave me a home." Tia stared, finding it was a bit easier to speak now. "I thought that it was just gratitude, that we were a comrades and friends, but… recently I realized that that was not adequate for what I felt." She paused searching her feelings. "These feelings are new to me… In Hueco Mundo I never felt like this before, even towards my faction…" She sighed. "I do not know if it is the feeling that you humans call love."

"I see…" Ichigo said slowly, totally at loss on how to take the confession. He could not deny that he found Tia attractive, he would be a fool not to. But there was more to it, much more. He felt a certain pull towards her, a connection that seemed to want to bring him closer to her. But could she truly love? He was aware that no matter what she wasn't human, and he did not have enough knowledge about Hollows to know that.

He looked into her eyes, seeing the anxiousness in them, but also the longing. Tia wanted something from him, but like she said, she didn't precisely know what it was.

"But why do this so suddenly, Tia?" Ichigo couldn't help but ask.

"How was your party?" She replied with a question, raising her eyebrow.

'Oh boy…' Ichigo felt a cold sweat go down his back as Tia gave him a very pointed look. "Fine I guess." He rubbed his neck uncomfortably.

"Surely." Came a dry reply. " I have one more thing to tell you, but I'll do it after my bath." She stated, leaving the room and closing the door behind her. "Isshin-san you're wetting the floor with your tears and snot." Her voice echoed just beyond.

Ichigo sighed at his Father's antics. He ran his hand through his hair as he sat down on the bed.

'First Yoruichi and now Tia?' Ichigo shook his head, attempting to clear it. ' Damn... is Inoue, after me too? How the hell didn't I notice that!?'

**'Cause you're an idiot… or gay, or both.'** Hichigo supplied.

'Always with the friendly advice….' Ichigo mentally muted him. The last thing he needed right now was his Inner Hollow's ramblings.

He was at loss. A total loss.

Not only had he never been in love, but suddenly he had two, possibly three, women after him.

'Kami a fourth one would be the end of me.' He thought. Unknowingly this caused a certain raven haired beauty to sneeze, blowing away a neat pile of paperwork she had finished with great effort.

Still that put him in quite a precarious situation. He was not sure of his feelings on that matter. Yeah each one of them was a stunning beauty in their own right, and he immensely enjoyed all their companies.

But did he love any of them?

He felt his cheeks heat up a bit. He wasn't used to dwelling on such thoughts for more than a half minute, at best. He never saw any of them as a potential relationship, not that a stray thought of two hadn't sometimes passed his mind about it…

**'Come on admit it, you've dreamed of fondling those breasts!'** Hichigo used his King's momentary distraction to speak again. **'Or trail your hand along that smooth skin...'**

'Zip it!' Ichigo hissed, embarrassed by being caught with his dirty thoughts. He grabbed his head, about ready to pull his hair out. 'I'm turning into a damn pervert!' He panicked.

"Ichigo, the bathroom is free." Tia said walking in, drying her hair with a towel.

His head snapped up reflexively ready to answer, when suddenly he lost his voice. Tia was wearing extremely short shorts, which barely covered anything. An equally short tank top that showed her flat semi-toned belly, and not to mention it looked strained to the point of ripping apart thanks to her ample bosom.

Ichigo's jaw hit the floor, but his eyes could not leave her. He thought he was used to seeing her with less clothing, as they lived in the same room for few months now. But that kiss disrupted his delicate sense of balance, making him realize (again) just how much of a stunning beauty Tia was.

A beauty he was sleeping with, in one bed…

"I-I-I gonna take a bath!" He stammered out, and with lighting speed dashed out of the room. He tripped on his comatose Dad in the corridor, creating chaos and destruction in his wake. Tia shook her head at the antics and sat herself on the bed.

**'Told ya it would work!'** Tiburon giggled.

'He looked like he was about to have a stroke.' Tia pointed out, slightly regretting that Tiburon talked her into wearing something so revealing.

'**You have to admit that you enjoyed this little bit of a male gaze.'** She stated.** 'He looked sooo cute with that, woah-oh hell, so hot expression on his face.'**

'Don't you think I'm coming off too strong?'

**'Nah. I mean the competition already went full birthday suit. So you have to step up your game.'**

Tia still wasn't convinced. True her Inner Hollow's methods got the results she desired. She managed to grab Ichigo's entire attention, and treat her as a factor in this battle. That was a progress, but she needed to proceed cautiously from now on.

The game just started, and from what she had seen on TV, she couldn't appear desperate or she would chase him off.

Yes. Tia decided to make a battle plan, no more mistakes or hesitation. She was a predator after all, and it's high time to go on offensive.

Just as that thought passed through her mind, Ichigo returned to the room… and stared at the bed.

'Oh…' In hindsight Tia probably should have made her move in the morning or after school, not just before the bed.

Ichigo's thoughts were almost the exact same as he licked his quickly dried lips. Doing his damnedest not to stare. He felt panic rise as he imagined the night to come.

**'It's not panic that you feel…'** Hichigo chuckled. **'Imagine getting close to that hot ass, dressed only in that thin rag…'**

'Shut it!' Ichigo said hotly. His Hollow's words started to get to him…

"We should get some rest, we have a test tomorrow." Tia said diplomatically, sliding under the covers.

Ichigo nodded dumbly as he marched forward in robot-like fashion. He lifted the covers and very carefully got beneath them, trying as hard as possible to not touch Tia. His tender virgin heart would not survive it.

Predictably, sleep wouldn't take either of them. Both were wide awake thanks to close proximity and the confession, however unlike previous time when they used to chat, they lie there in silence.

Extremely awkward silence.

* * *

Next Day

'Coffee.' Ichigo's brain repeated the desperate message. Due to last night's events, neither he nor Tia managed to fall asleep until early morning. His mind and body absolutely refusing to get up when alarm went off.

If not for Isshin's timely intervention, they would've missed the test…

Not that them being at school did any good. The lack of sleep and coffee seriously hampered any ability to produce anything worthwhile.

Not to mention, apparently Yoruichi was angry with him for some reason… or rather she was sending frosty glares at Tia, and when she noticed he was looking her attention turned to him. Not to mention Orihime and Rukia were edgy too.

Ichigo had a nasty feeling that somehow the word that Yoruichi and Tia kissed him got out. He was pretty sure that his Dad had something to do with it.

'Damn you old goat!' He cursed. What truly frightened Ichigo was the coming break. He was barely able to talk to Tia without stumbling, or blushing like a maiden. With Yoruichi, who would painfully exploit it, he felt his blood run cold.

The bell rang much sooner than he wanted, as he was scribbling notes on paper.

On cue Ichigo's four largest concerns left the classroom, leaving him behind without a word.

'Ohhh boy…'

* * *

Super-secret meeting place, aka Women's Bathroom

Tensions ran high, as the four women glared at each other, yes even Orihime. The contest was getting more and more intense, and the revelation that both Yoruichi and Tia kissed Ichigo, info that "somehow" got leaked to the other two contestants.

"So why exactly are we standing here?" Yoruichi asked as she checked her nails. "Ichigo looked so lonely…"

"Then you three should start the meeting, and I'll see if anything can be done about it." Rukia stated, folding her arms.

"Says the one who hasn't done a thing, while having more opportunity than any of us." Yoruichi shot back. "Even Hime-chan here had the guts to ask him out, Princess."

Rukia was positively murdering Yoruichi with her stare right now.

"I fail to see why we needed to gather here if only barbs are exchanged." Tia finally said with a sigh. "There's nothing to discuss."

"I beg to differ." The Goddess of Flash turned her attention to her. "I heard that you couldn't handle the fact that I beat you to taking his first kiss."

"Actually it was me, Yoruichi-san." Inoue meekly interrupted. "Right before Aizen kidnapped me, heheh."

The other three gave her surprised looks.

'Silent waters run deep.' They thought.

"Regardless, it looks like you're getting bolder and bolder, Sharky."

"Does it concern you?" Tia asked innocently.

"Oh no, it will just make my victory all the more sweet." Yoruichi smirked.

"Arrogance always precedes the fall." Tia crossed her arms.

"It's confidence, proven confidence." She giggled. "He seems to enjoy it…"

"Looks aren't everything!" Rukia protested, knowing that she was… behind in certain departments.

"It's ok Rukia-san, I agree with you." Inoue put a hand on her shoulder. "Kurosaki-kun does not go for looks alone, he also looks at the heart." She said strongly.

"Got that too." Yoruichi said cheekily. "Come on gals I have decades of experience upon you."

"Don't you think that you're a bit too old for him then? You are what? Three hundred? Four hundred?" Rukia sniped back, making her scowl.

"Oi!" The cat lady snapped. "This body still is, and will be, in pristine condition!"

"If we're here to bicker who's better then I'll just excuse myself." Tia said rolling her eyes.

"Oh? Does age concern you that much? Just how old are you?" Rukia asked.

"I believe that I'm over a century old now…" Tia frowned when she said it aloud. It did sound bad, by human standards.

"See you're old too!"

"Rukia-san you, Yoruichi-san, and Tia-san, compared to Ichigo and I, are all slightly… ancient." Inoue said with a rarely used bite. "Besides I have known Kurosaki-kun the longest…"

"I believe that it doesn't matter how long you know a person." Tia said calmly.

"Aww don't be mad Sharky. The fact that you've known him the shortest doesn't stump your chances at all." Yoruichi said in amusement.

If Tia was a petty person she would remark that out of all of them, she was the only one who shared the bed with Ichigo.

But she just shrugged, not wanting to take the bait.

"I'm leaving." Tia announced as she proceeded to the door.

"Well my main competition is gone, so yeah, good luck gals!" Yoruichi left too, leaving Rukia and Inoue behind with solemn expressions on their faces.

"Look… we need to do something." Rukia finally.

"We?" Inoue asked quizzically.

"Yes… out of all of them you are the one who deserves him the most, if he doesn't choose me…" Rukia admitted. "So let's make a deal."

"…I'm listening." Inoue said with a seriously.

* * *

Later

After the end of the horribly awkward day at school, Ichigo, Tia, and Yoruichi went to Urahara's shop. The first two to train, the other because she lived there.

"I can't believe that I got a C on chemistry!" Yoruichi complained. "I'm a master of poisons, and I got a C on something that stupidly simple?!"

"Perhaps you should have spent more time studying." Tia suggested, looking at Ichigo's back.

For the whole day Ichigo was unable to speak to her without shuttering, or making things uncomfortable, and frankly is was starting to get on her nerves.

His only saving grace was that Yoruichi was in pretty similar situation.

So that was why he was walking in front of them, pretending to not hear their conversations.

Yoruichi, being herself, could not pass up the opportunity to use Tia's comment for her own gain.

"Nah, I just prefer doing more… extracurricular activities." She caught up to Ichigo, and wrapped her arm around his neck. "Say Ichi-boo how about we go out after you're done training? You know, just the two of us." She blew hot air in his ear. Her smirk grew and he blushed, resembling strawberry.

"Or don't you want to spend time with me?" Yoruichi asked with a pout.

"N-No! What?!" Ichigo blabbed dumbfounded. It seemed that recently it was his only way of communicating. "It… It's just I need to catch back up on sleep."

"Excuses, excuses, it's not like we're going to spent whole night out." Yoruichi purred, pressing her breasts against his arm. "I'll be sure to get you back home at a... reasonable time."

Hook, line, and sinker.

"I.. guess that would be okay." Ichigo answered weakly, not trying to think about two soft mounds of flesh sandwiching his shoulder.

Tia, despite everything, had to admit that Yoruichi was a master at using her assets and charms to her advantage. The Arrancar felt slightly envious at the ease with which she could do so.

Bold and certain.

**'You should start using YOUR assets too, goddamn it!'** Tiburon growled, clearly aggravated.** 'She's playing you like a little girl!'**

'I'm not sure if I approve of such tactic-'

'Bullshit! You did it yesterday!' Tiburon interrupted her. 'Or was all that "I'm going on offensive" talk just a lie you told yourself to feel better?'

Her Inner Hollow had her there.

"Just don't stay to long Ichigo. We didn't get much sleep last night." Tia said calmly, drawing their attention…especially Yoruichi's. Before she managed to retort they came around to the parking lot in front of Urahara's shop. The owner of which was sitting on the Terrance, drinking tea.

"Many welcomes! What brings you here today?" Urahara welcomed after taking a sip.

"Got to speak with Tessai, and do some training." Ichigo replied quickly, rushing past the older man and nodding a greeting. Trying to make some distance from Yoruichi's forwardness and the awkward atmosphere.

"About?" Urahara asked with curiosity, as he turned to see Ichigo removing his shoes. "Don't keep me in suspense!"

"Kido Commander stuff." Ichigo hurriedly said, much to Urahara's disappointment, as he made his way into the shop. Yoruichi jovially hopped past the shop owner, smirking and nodding to him. Tia followed at her calm pace, giving Urahara a small bow. Ichigo quickly found Tessai, who was sitting in the kitchen. However wasn't fast enough to ask Tessai to talk alone, as Yoruichi saddled right up next to him, smiling devilishly and giggling, just as he opened his mouth.

Ichigo closed his eyes, willing away his frustration, and in that time Tia joined the small gathering. Tessai looked up from the table at the three.

"Welcome Yoruichi-dono, Ichigo-dono, Tia-dono… what brings you here?" He asked innocently, totally not giving Tia a secretive wink.

"Like you don't know." Ichigo replied bluntly, crossing his arms.

"You look to unbeaten... so I assumed that she hadn't told you anything." He grinned widely.

"I prefer to solve things without resorting to violence. There are other, more effective, means at my disposal." Tia said, offering Ichigo a small smile that make him blush slightly.

"Ok…" Tessai said slowly, looking at Yoruichi, who suddenly had a very dangerous smile on her face.

"Thank Kami. Okay Tessai…" Ichigo started.

"You know I still can't tell you anything yet." Tessai interrupted him quickly. "Ladies would you mind allowing us a few moments privacy?"

Begrudgingly the two ladies left. As soon as they did Tessai erected a sound barrier. Which was especially effective against spying spells…

"For now your progress with Kido spells is enough. You will be ready to take the test, I believe that." Tessai said firmly. "I see it every time we train. You will have the most difficult of the basic spells in no time. Seals and barriers will come soon after that, maybe even today."

"One more thing before we go to train… is that Gate or whatever truly fixed?"

"Yes Ichigo-dono. You should not need worry about it anymore. The matter is resolved." Tessai said firmly. "Let us not speak of it anymore."

"Right… okay. Let's get training."

The two men left the kitchen, meeting Tia and Yoruichi just down the hall, and the group headed down stairs. The ladies sat on nearby rock formations, while Ichigo and Tessai stood facing one another.

"Before I start teaching you seals and barriers, I want to see how good you are in Bakudo and Hado under stress." Tessai told him. "Until now it has been passive training, but it's high time to test it in battle. So show me the results of your training!"

"I don't want to hurt you." Ichigo's caution earned a loud laugh from both Tessai and Yoruichi.

"Ichigo, I appreciate your concern, but you are nowhere near skilled enough to hurt me with Kido." A vein popped on Ichigo's forehead.

"Fine! You asked for it… Hado no 33: Sōkatsui!" A blast of blue energy shot out of Ichigo's hand.

"Kyōmon." Tessai said softly, effortlessly creating a barrier around himself. Ichigo's attack was deflected with ease. "You can do much better than that Ichigo-dono!"

"You bet I can! Hado no 63: Raikōhō!" Ichigo launched a beam of yellow energy, and reinforced it with a large amount of Reiatsu. The wave of power grew twice it's normal size, and ran wildly towards Tessai.

"Interesting... Hado no 70: Hyōga Seiran." A large wave of ice materialized and crashed with Ichigo's attack. It resulted in a large explosion of yellow and blue.

"Still not impressed." Tessai taunted. "Let me show you how it's done! Hado no 88: Hiryū Gekizoku Shinten Raihō." An enormous wave of electric energy shot out of his, and with loud roar, streaked toward Ichigo.

"Bakudo no 81: Dankū." Ichigo said with a smirk. A large rectangular wall rose before him, completely blocking Tessai's attack. Tessai looked at him in surprise, the scene bringing back some unpleasant memories.

The fight continued for few minutes. Each opponent throwing increasingly devastating offensive and binding spells.

"Ok Tessai... the kiddie gloves are off." Ichigo said seriously. "I'm hitting you with my strongest spell, so get ready." Ichigo raked his hand in front of his face, materializing his mask.

"As you wish." Tessai prepared himself for anything. It was only thanks to years of experience that he managed to survive what Ichigo threw at him next.

**"Seeping crest of turbidity. Arrogant vessel of lunacy! Boil forth and deny! Grow numb and flicker! Disrupt sleep! Crawling queen of iron! Eternally self-destructing doll of mud! Unite! Repulse! Fill with soil and know your own powerlessness!**" Ichigo chanted creating a Kurohitsugi at full power, mixing his Hollow and Shinigami powers in it.

Tessai's eyes widened at the power behind the spell. He knew the spell instantly after the first word, but Ichigo's version was vastly different. More powerful and malevolent, unlike any version of Kurohitsugi he ever experienced.

'His Hollow Reiatsu is reinforcing the spell disturbingly easy.' He thought going through hand seals at lightning speed.

"Ryubi no Jōmon! Koko no Jomon! Kigai no Jomon! Hoyoku no Jomon! Barrier spell: Shiji no Saimon!" Tessai formed a very powerful barrier around himself.

**"Hado no 90: Kurohitsugi!"** Ichigo roared, and unleashed the spell on the former Kido Commander. An enormous black box engulfed the barrier. Becoming wholly solid in moments.

Ichigo stood in front of his creation. There was something majestic about this block of darkness. Such an ominous aura emitting from it, but satisfyingly familiar and welcome.

Suddenly the spell started to break. Million of cracks appeared at once all over the coffin of darkness. All at once it exploded into shards, revealing Tessai. To Ichigo's surprise he had a small cut on his cheek. He stared hard at Ichigo with an unreadable expression for a few seconds.

"Ichigo-dono, I take back what I said earlier. You managed to hurt me with Kido already. You truly are a prodigy in it." Tessai praised him. You even broke my barrier, and force me to become slightly serious."

"It was nothing." The teen grinned, rubbing his neck.

"No, believe me, for you to be actually able to wound me is truly a great feat. Especially considering just how long you've been practicing Kido." His smile widened. "It brings me much joy to see you progress at such a rate. Not to mention the pride I feel to call you my apprentice."

"And for me to call you Sensei." Ichigo grinned, beaming from all the praise.

"KISS ALREADY!" Of course Yoruichi had to try to ruin the moment, but the two just ignored the shout.

"Since we are finished with the warm ups, I shall explain the basics of seals and barriers." Tessai began. "You see, there are three ways to wield Kido: Verbal, Gestures, and the Written Words or Seals. In Hado and Bakudo you need a proper incantation, and if the spell is complicated you might need to add proper gestures."

Ichigo nodded, he knew all of that, but he didn't interrupt.

"When it comes to seals you have two methods." He walked closer to Ichigo, and tapped his shoulder. For a few seconds nothing happened, but suddenly Ichigo felt like he was ten times heavier, only barely managing to keep standing. Tessai tapped his shoulder again and the heaviness disappeared.

"Before you ask, yes you need to write the seal, and I just did by using my Reiatsu. There are certain methods on how to do this, and don't worry I will explain more later. There is the traditional way by writing it on a surface and applying some Reiatsu to it."

"How did it make me heavier? Ichigo asked.

"It's all about Reiryoku and it's manipulation. The seal overrode your Reiryoku makeup, so it seemed like you were ten times heavier. This is called a Gravity Seal, and in truth I did not make you heavier, I just simply changed how your body reacted to the current gravity."

"Wow."

"I know, but we will come to that later. For now I will move on to barriers, since they are closer to what you already know." He made a few hand seals, and created a round barrier around himself. "This is the most basic barrier. It doesn't even have name, and to create it you need…"

"To concentrate your Reiatsu in one point, and then expand it so it will cover me." Ichigo finished, earning a pleasantly surprised look.

"Yes... where did you learn that?" Tessai asked slightly impressed.

"Ah the first time we broke into the S.S. Kūkaku Shiba and her brother taught us."

"Excellent! So you have mastered the basics! We can progress much more quickly that way!" Tessai gave him a thumbs up.

"Sure I d..." He paused when his hand traveled to his back. Ichigo was so surprised that he lost the balance and fell to the ground. "Hey! What the hell Tessai? Why'd you hit me with Sai?!" Ichigo exclaimed as he broke the spell with ease.

"It wasn't me Ichigo-dono." Tessei shook his head. They looked to the two ladies, obviously expecting Yoruichi to burst out laughing any moment, but the cat lady was staring at Tia with mouth agape. The Arrancar was currently wearing a look of disbelief to match the other woman, with an index finger pointing at Ichigo.

"Huh?" The quartet uttered.

* * *

On the side lines the ladies full attention was on the mock battle.

Yoruichi couldn't stop her chest from swelling with pride at the way her apprentice, and soon to be boyfriend, progressed over a ridiculously short amount of time. She remember when she saw the youth for the first time…least to say she wasn't impressed. Along their way he continued to surprise her at every turn.

Under that rough exterior was a true unpolished gem… one she intended to claim. Only she was capable of bringing out Ichigo's true potential. She took a peek at her rival, noticing that she was absorbed by what was happening as much as she was.

Yoruichi had to admit it seemed that her victory wouldn't be as swift as she thought. It seemed that the blonde was willing to fight for the prize using more than just words, unlike the other two. Not to mention that Tia had every attribute needed to fight equally with her, maybe even having a slight advantage in the chest area.

That made Yoruichi want to growl.

Eyeing Tia's outfit, she instantly noticed how revealing it was, almost the polar opposite of her personality.

'Hm… looks like we are even in that area too. Oh well, I was always better at psychological warfare.' Yoruichi had to stifle a giggle.

Unaware of what was going on in Yoruichi's head, Tia watched the training in rapt attention. She was impressed with Kido to say the least. Despite fighting for survival for over a century, and then for Aizen, Tia never experienced a battle that was so... beautiful. With each spell a variety of color and light were unleashed, only to be broken by the opponent's counter attack or barrier. Each clash of power created a truly splendid sight.

Tia sighed. She really envied their ability to fight in such a dignified way. Fights between Hollows were brutal and bloody, with absolute no finesse or much variation. Just ripping the opponent apart, or blasting away with raw power, aside from rare exceptions in Vasto Lord combat.

Fighting with Shinigami was slightly better, but still one Shinigami was limited to only one area of attack, like fire or ice. Yet here she was witness to a large variety, raging from elements to energy based.

Tia wished that she could do the same.

"Now that's a show!" Yoruichi commented when Ichigo hit Tessai with Kurohitsugi. "Ichi-boo has really grown!"

"Indeed, his prowess is astounding." Tia nodded.

"Sooo… can you do that?" Yoruichi asked curiously. "I mean Ichi-boo can use Hollow techniques, so can you use Kido?"

"I cannot." She replied curtly.

"But why? You should be able to. Aren't you basically a Shinigami-Hollow hybrid like the Visoreds? I mean they can still use it."

"The matter is more complicated than that. I'm not able to simply point my finger, and say..." She raised her hand and aimed a finger pointing it at Ichigo as she said this. "… Bakudo no 1: Sai, and expect..." She paused when Ichigo's arms suddenly went behind his back, and he fell forward.

"Huh?"

"What was that!?" Ichigo said loudly, coming closer to her. "Tia how did you do that?"

"I'm not certain... I followed the instruction you gave me when you tried to teach me." She explained just as confused. "Yet for some reason it worked this time."

Ichigo looked closely at her, as if inspecting for any irregularity.

"Hmm... you do look like Tia, but how do I know that you aren't an impostor?" He said, gently poking her in the shoulder.

"Would you like me to share few a of our interesting stories?" Tia retorted a bit miffed, giving Ichigo a very pointed look. The boy froze with his finger half way between them.

Tia rose one eyebrow.

"Yup that's her." Ichigo mumbled abashed.

"I totally want to hear these stories!" Yoruichi chimed in.

"Tia-dono, it is unheard of for an Arrancar who can't perform Kido to suddenly pull it off." Tessai stated. "Are you able to do it again?"

"Sure. At least I think I should." She cast the spell at Ichigo again, but he saw it coming and easily deflected the spell. "Like I said, I'm not certain how-" Tia suddenly felt a wave of dizziness hit her, just before she lost consciousness.

Ichigo's eyes widened as her knees gave away. In the blink of an eye he was at her side, catching her before she hit the ground.

"Hey! Tia are you ok, hey Tia!" Ichigo exclaimed, gently shaking Tia's limp body. Her eyes were glazed, devoid of any life. "Tessai! Do something!"

"Calm down... she's breathing." He uttered after checking her vital signs.

"What's wrong with her?" Yoruichi asked actually worried.

"I don't know, she's never fainted like this before." Ichigo said anxiously, unconsciously cradling her body.

"Maybe Old Hat would know more about her condition?" Yoruichi suggested.

"Good idea, Yoruichi-dono, let's make haste." They vanished from the training area to find the shop owner, who was sleeping.

"Oi, wake up you lazy ass!" Yoruichi stomped on his stomach.

"I'm up! I'm up!" Urahara yelled while rubbing his stomach. "What's the rush-oh my…" Urahara eyed Ichigo, who was carrying Tia bridal style. "You want my blessing?"

Yoruichi whacked him… much harder than usual.

"Alright, just let me get my equipment."

After a few minutes Urahara had everything set up, with some sort of device, that resembled a metal detector, was scanning her.

"What's happening to her, Urahara?" Ichigo asked grimly.

"I can't say precisely. Her Reiatsu is extremely unstable." He furrowed his eyebrows. "The readings indicate a massive spike in Shinigami-like Reiatsu… it's almost like when you tried to regain your powers previously." Ichigo gasped. He wanted to ask more, but then Tia moaned.

"No.. please…." She mumbled, her face twisting in pain. "Why?..."

"Urahara what's going on!?" Ichigo demanded, not being able to stomach the anguish on her voice.

"I have no idea." He admitted, and began running more tests.

* * *

Flashback- Hawaii, Honolulu. 1922, 10 years after the "The Great Wave"

"Come back here you brat!" A tall elderly man yelled, chasing a girl on the beach.

"Catch me if you can, gramps!" The slim blonde girl yelled back mischievously. Her messy her sticking out in every direction, as she ran away from the pissed elder.

Ten years had already passed after the catastrophic tsunami wave, which destroyed the island and killed half of the population.

The inhabitants, with the help of the federal government, managed to rebuild most of the community. Yet the scars left behind from the wave were still fresh. The native inhabited districts were low priority on the rebuilding list, so some parts of town were still in a horrible state. If tensions before between natives and foreigners was bad, now it was a literal powder keg ready to explode.

That put Tia and Hale in quite tender position. As a half-breed she was loathed by the native population for being "tainted", and the foreigners treated her as some sort of oddity. Hale on the other hand was proclaimed a traitor to his people. He was basically exiled from their community. He was forced out of his job in the port, and left to fend for his own.

Luckily for them, with the help of John Westwood, a friend of James, the duo managed to survive the turbulent times inside the resident military base until their house was rebuilt. He also helped them cash in what was left of James's trade empire. Which was a surprising amount, and placed it safely in a bank account. Yet Hale was determined to find a job, and again with the help of John, he managed to get one, this time at the military port. He was also Tia's guardian, as her closest living relative. With his care and effort Tia was able to smile again, and have some semblance of a normal childhood.

They both changed over the ten years. Tia obviously did the most.

She grew from the slightly chubby toddler, to a slim and fit teenager. She was now taller and "better equipped" than most girls in her age group, much to the aforementioned groups envy. She kept her hair untangled and wild.

Hale, on the other hand, hadn't changed much physically. Even being nearly sixty years old he still stood tall and proud. His black hair were now replaced with gray, and his face was covered in wrinkles, but his eyes remained as young as they were ten years ago. While not as strong as a decade ago, he could still give the male population a run for their money.

Over the years Tia spent with Hale she grew into a tomboy. She enjoyed many, 'man's jobs' like fishing and hunting. He taught those to her and even more. He arranged for teachers for her to teach her writing, math, and English. At first she was quite resistant, but later she began to enjoy the lessons.

In the following years Tia developed a fondness of pranking the old man. Which was the reason why he was currently chasing after her.

"Tia! You've really crossed the line this time! Wait till I get my hands on you!" Hale yelled, still covered in fish intestines. It wouldn't be long till he repaid this debt though. A few times he got her good, like putting crabs in her bed, or making an overly spicy dinner.

After few miles they both fell on the soft sand, trying to catch their breath.

"I..told..you…that…you won't…catch me….uncle." Tia choked between breaths.

"Wait..till…we get…back..home…you..runt." Hale panted.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say grandpa."

After the returned home and had lunch, Hale gave Tia the "talk". It was a long half an hour, and he was about to lie on the sofa when Tia called to him.

"Hey lets go surfing."

"No thanks. I'm tired after chasing your ass over the whole island." He replied exhaustively.

"Aww come on! The weather and waves are great!" She whined.

"No." Came the man's reply from the sofa.

"Please?"

"No."

"Pretty please?" She used the ultimate weapon she had against men. She pouted. Hale looked at her for few moments. 'Damn that pout.' He sighed, knowing he couldn't fight against it often.

"Ok fine. Give me an hour to rest, and we will go." Tia gave him a big toothy grin before hugged him. Hale rubbed her hair, making it even more messy.

He loved Tia like his own daughter. He was really glad that she managed to get over her parents death. He couldn't remember how many times he had to console her when she woke up screaming from a nightmare about the great wave. Recently the nightmares were less frequent. Every time he saw the childlike fear and tears in her eyes, it broke his heart. Even now she kept the two rag dolls of her deceased parents in her room. Hale could understand very well what she was going through.

His own wife passed away giving birth to his child, who died two months after. He was about to take his life when James and Mano came to his aid, and talked him out of it.

After that Hale found comfort at teaching the younger generation fishing and surfing. Which was the reason he couldn't say no to the idea of surfing. It always calmed his soul. It gave him a sort of inner peace.

He looked at the child in his arms. He was so proud of her. Despite the trauma caused by her parents deaths, Tia grew into healthy and happy teenager. She was beaming with energy and smiling often. He was glad that his efforts to be a parent paid off.

After an hour passed the duo grabbed their surf boards, and went to their usual surfing spot. It was located under a great cliff, making the waves more vicious and wild. But being an adrenaline junkie just made you that way.

On their way they were greeted by various people. Yet the sight of one made them both groan. It was a old bitter lady. Her name was Kalama and she was about seventy. She was short and wrinkled, with claw like hands. Her high-pitched voice could make a deaf person cringe. Her face was permanently twisted in a snarl, and unfortunately, she was currently the village shaman now.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the traitor and the bastard?" She spat.

"Well if it isn't the old bag of bones." Hale shot back, Tia giggled at his comment. "To what we owe this displeasure?"

"Tsk, like you need to ask." She snarled. "You live in that scum's house with his half-breed of a daughter, that's what!"

"I usually do not hit woman, but you are really forcing me to reconsider." He growled. "Remember what I did to your predecessor? And by the way." He lowered his voice and scowled at her. "Call Tia, Mano, or James any name again, and I swear this town will be one grumpy old lady short." He threatened.

"You would dare to raise a hand to me?" She barked. "You will suffer soon traitor! You and all those damn outsiders!"

"Cease your empty threats!" He growled back. "And now if you'd kindly get out of our way." He pushed past the old woman, almost wanting to shove her to the side.

Hale looked at Tia's crestfallen expression.

"Hey don't worry about the babblings of that old witch." He put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I know, but it's sad that the people hate us so much. Why can't we all just get along?" She muttered.

Hale sighed tiredly.

"People often try to blame others for their misery. Take Kalama for example. She lost her family in the wave, and put the blame on the Americans that moved here. Yes some of them are assholes, but most of them are just people like us."

"Yet they call you a traitor, because you took care of me…" Tia mumbled looking down at her feet.

Hale patted her head, messing up her hair even more.

"I don't regret a second of it… most of the time." He chuckled at her offended expression.

"Let's just drop the depressing talk." He proposed. "We still have waves calling to us."

"Agreed." They walked towards their favorite spot, making small talk about pointless things. When they arrived they were greeted by a familiar majestic view.

Waves were crashing against the rocks of the thirty meter tall cliff. They both set their boards down, and began some stretches to warm-up. After finished, they took the boards and walked to the water.

They swam to the point where the waves were growing high, and stood on their boards. The right wave came quickly and they both rode it.

To Tia the sensation of riding waves was simply euphoric. The rush of adrenalin in her veins, the fresh wet air blowing in her face. The sound of water crashing just behind her. It was one of those rare moments that she could forget about the all bad things in her life. Her parents death, the hate she had to endure from part of island's population. Now it was only her, her board, and the sea. Tia knew that she could do this all day, and never get tired.

She noticed particularly high wave coming in. A feral grin crept on her face. She directed her deck to that wave. The resistance of the wave was slowly pushing her back. She did a gracious spin, and slid along the wave. She made another turn, and replayed the maneuver, but this time the wave collapsed just inches behind her, spilling white foam everywhere. The roar of the waves was simply incredible.

After two hours of constant surfing, the two returned to shore.

"Tia you're irresponsible, hot headed, and you take completely unnecessary risks…. you will be a perfect surfer." Hale praised her with a big smile.

"Geez you really know how to turn an insult into a compliment." She hit his shoulder lightly. "Let's rest for a bit and get back home, I'm ready to have some dinner."

"Whatever you wish, princess." He bowed with fake humility, and a big grin. After spending some time lying on the beach doing nothing, they headed home as it was getting dark. After supper they both went to bed, but sadly their peaceful night was brutally interrupted…..

BOOOOM!

"Kyaaaa!" Tia screamed, jumping out of bed. Disoriented she almost hit her head on the wall. Not even a minute later Hale barged into the room in nothing but his pants.

"Tia are you ok!?" He grabbed her by her shoulders, looking for any injury.

"I'm fine uncle. What was that?" She asked taking deep breaths.

"I don't know. I'll check outside, you stay here and don't you dare to leave the house!" He said sternly, indicating he wasn't joking.

"But what if you get hurt?!" Tia ran to him pulling him into a scared hug.

"Don't worry about me kiddo, I'll manage." He patted her head. Hale went to his room to grab a shirt and shoes, before leaving Tia alone in the house. She looked at the clock, it was four in the morning.

After five minutes she started to nervously check outside the window, but couldn't see much.

After ten minutes she was walking in circles around her room.

After fifteen she was at the door ready to leave the house, just in time for Hale to barge in, out of breath.

"Good you're dressed!" He grabbed her hand. "We need to go now!"

"Uncle what is going on!" Tia exclaimed as she was dragged out of the house. "Why-"

Her voice stuck in her throat, as she gazed at the city…

It was burning.

"The royalists started another insurrection, and took the US forces by surprise!" Hale exclaimed over the sound of gunfire. "We need to get to the military base quick!"

Tia gulped as they ran across the city. Everything was chaos right now.

People were running around screaming, trying to extinguish the raging fires, or in some cases shooting… more so as they drew close to the base.

"Holy hell…." Hale cursed his stupidity. Of course the base would be the high priority target for the rebels.

Dozens of native and soldier bodies were lying around, as both sides exchanged intense and chaotic fire.

"Change of plans, we're heading to the jungle!" Hale said.

"O-Ok." Tia choked, feeling bile rise in her throat at the sight and stench of the dead bodies.

Unfortunately someone noticed their arrival.

"It's the traitor and the bastard! Kill them!" A rebel shouted.

"Run!" Hale yelled grabbing Tia by her hand, and dragging her off the streets. A few stray shots narrowly missed them, making the girl scream in terror.

They ran into through the back alleys, hoping to at least avoiding the gun fire. Their pursuers were relentless, chasing them with howls and promises of death.

The worst part was the smoke that obscured the view, making them stumble more than a few times. After what seemed like eternity they exited the alleys into open space… right into a squad of American soldiers.

"Hale!" John shouted. "Kiss the ground!"

The elderly Hawaiian did not waste time. He grabbed Tia and dragged her down, shielding her with his body.

A volley of shots rang out, followed by the cries of the rebels behind them. After few moments of silence later and Hale cracked an eye open, seeing a pair of military boots.

"Here." John said offering him his hand.

"Much obliged John." He replied, helping a sobbing Tia to her feet. "There there. Everything will be alright." He hugged her tightly.

"We need to move. My men set a perimeter not far away from here, we should be safe ther-"

BANG!

"Gueeeehhhh…" John gurgled, grabbing his throat as blood started to seep through his fingers, and out his mouth.

Tia let out another scream, burying her head in Hale's chest.

"Sniper!" One of the soldiers shouted and ducked for cover. Hale followed the suit, hiding with Tia behind a stone bench.

A few more shots rang through the air, and after that blessed silence ruled the street.

"Clear!" They heard a shout. Hale carefully peaked over the bench, and luckily did not got shot. The soldiers carefully moved to their fallen officer. One of them closed his eyes.

"You two come with us, Major Westwood ordered us to find you and bring you to safety."

"Thank you…" Hale mumbled, taking one last look to the man on the ground. Over the years he and John became good friends. But he knew that this was not the time to grieve, he had Tia to protect. "Let's go then."

But it seemed that misfortune would not let them go that day, as they heard a whistling sound coming closer to them.

"Fuck me sideways…" One of the soldiers swore, as a mortar shot exploded near them, sending them all flying.

Tia didn't knew if she was still alive… her whole body hurt like hell, so probably. All she could hear was ringing in her ears. Every time she tried to more her abused body cried in protest. But she realized one thing.

She was being carried. She forced herself to open her eyes, and saw Hale's face. It was bloodied but the man looked alright. Next to him was a stumbling US soldier, and like Tia's uncle, he was bloody and dirty too.

"Uncle…" Tia mumbled, her throat as dry as a desert.

"Hush… we're almost there…" He said in a strained voice.

After a minute or two they saw the barricade. For a moment Tia had the feeling that the soldiers would shoot them, but luckily dawn was upon them. Seeing their wounded comrade, the soldiers moved the mobile part of the barricade and let them in.

Hale looked around, and gently placed Tia on a patch of grass well inside the safe zone.

"Are you ok?" He asked tiredly.

"I-I think I'll live." Tia shuddered, relief washing over her now that they were safe.

"That's good…." Hale huffed out, and collapsed right next to her.

Tia's eyes widened in terror as she gazed at his back. It was covered in multiple gaping wounds, almost as if someone ripped into him.

A horrible realization fell on her. Hale used his body as a shield to protect her from the explosion.

"HALE!" Tia finally found her voice. "NOOO!" Tears streamed down her face again, as she kneeled next to him.

Her screams drew the attention of the soldiers. Someone called a medic, but if Tia was looking around she would see the grim looks adorning their faces.

Hale was beyond salvation.

"Nonono! Please don't die!" She begged, taking his large hand. "Please! Don't leave me!"

Hale turned his head so he could see Tia for the last time. He could feel his body growing numb. He wanted to live, to live for her sake. At least until she turned into an adult, but with a heavy slowing heart he realized that he couldn't.

Using every ounce of strength he had left he took her hand and squeezed it. He looked in her teary eyes and managed to crack a smile.

"I'm…" Talking proved even more difficult now. "So proud of you…Tia."

"Uncle stop talking! The doctor will be here soon!" She begged, feeling where it was going.

"You gave me a reason…to live on…for so long…" His voice grew weaker and weaker. "Find….happiness…Tia…promise me…"

"Hale… I…" Tia choked seeing the man fading. "I promise! I will find it!"

Hale took a last look st her teary face, as his vision darkened. He wanted to say so much more, but his voice failed him.

He gave her one last squeezed, and let out his last breath on this world…

Hale Halibel had passed away.

"Hale?" Tia squeaked as his hand went limp. "Hale!? Uwaaaa…." She sobbed. "Uwaaaa!"

Tia cried in earnest, not caring if anyone heard or saw her. Right now it didn't matter. With each painful cry she bared her heart and soul, as the pain was too much to take.

A last living member of her family was dead, and she was now alone. Somewhere in the back of her mind a stray thought was born.

Tia had to make another rag doll.

* * *

General P.O.V.

Tia began to shake violently, and Ichigo had to had hold her down so she wouldn't thrash around. At one point she began to scream, tears spilling from her eyes.

"HALE! HALE! HALE!" She screamed constantly, wrestling against Ichigo's hold. "NOOOO!" Ichigo was sweating at this point. Tia, by any standards, wasn't weak. Even in his spiritual state he had a problem holding her down. At some point even Tessai and Yoruichi had to help.

"Urahara do something!" Ichigo yelled. The shop owner ran out of the room, and after two minutes returned with a syringe filled with some yellowish liquid. "What is that?" Ichigo asked suspiciously.

"It will calm her down." Urahara replied stoically, and prepared to inject the medicine, when suddenly Tia's eyes snapped open and she jolted awake. She started to look around in fear, fighting with what kept her pinned down. She fought violently, still trapped in her waking nightmare.

"No! Let me go! HALE!" Yet they kept her pinned to the table.

"Tia! It's me Ichigo!" He exclaimed, hoping to break through the haze.

She focused her gaze on his face. He saw the recognition in her eyes. She calmed down a bit, but she was still sweating intensely and fear was palpable in her eyes.

"Ichigo?" She whispered. Ichigo, Tessai, and Yoruichi slowly let her go. "Is that you?" She asked quietly, not trusting her own voice.

"Yeah it's me." He said gently. He stifled a gasp when Tia suddenly took his hand. He could feel it trembled as she looked at him in terror.

"I don't want to." She mumbled, giving him a pleading look.

"What? Tia please tell me." Ichigo asked, sick with worry.

"I don't want to remember… please… help me." She pleaded with him, on the verge of crying again. "I'm…afraid."

Ichigo's mouth, along with the rest, hung agape.

Tia rarely begged, and only in very intimate moments. But she never ever admitted to being afraid. She often spoke of fear being a natural feeling, but never openly admitted it. She looked at him for salvation… a thing he could not give her.

Ichigo at this point felt that he couldn't bear much more. To see her in so much pain was simply tearing his soul apart. He didn't know how to save her. It wasn't like invading the Soul Society or Hueco Mundo, cutting away everything in his path. Now he was utterly powerless, and it hurt him deep in his core.

Tia was begging for Ichigo's help. She, the former 3rd Espada. He really couldn't take it.

"No...nonononono." She started chanting. "Not again!" She moaned, shaking violently.

"Tia! What's going on?!" Ichigo yelled in panic.

"It's happening again! No Ichig…" Her whole body shook and she closed her eyes, fainting again.

"Tia? Tia!" He began to shake her, but there was no response. He felt a cold dread creep inside him.

"Urahara, anyone, please tell me you can do something to help her." He looked to them in anticipation and anxiety.

"Sorry Ichigo-boo. I have no earthly idea how to help her." Yoruichi said with genuine regret.

"I'm afraid that what is happening with her now is beyond anything I can do." Urahara looked at him with sadness.

Ichigo hung his head in defeat.

"But not beyond what I can." Tessai suddenly cut in. Ichigo's head shot up, and he looked to him with hope.

"Please Tessai, I will do anything just help her." He begged.

"I can only provide a means to help her, but the one doing the actual helping will be you." He told him. "I know a spell to create a connection between minds." Ichigo gasped at this. "It was used as an interrogation method to gather information out of one's mind." He took a deep breath. "But there was one drawback… if you die someone's mind your mind dies… that's why it was banned. There were too many casualties."

"You can't be serious Tessai! It's way too dangerous!" Yoruichi protested.

"So basically I just have to avoid being killed in her mind, right?" Ichigo asked, making sure that was the only potential hazard.

"Basically yes." Tessai replied.

"Then do it." Ichigo said firmly.

"Ichigo it's too risky, you might die!" Yoruichi tried to reason.

"My friend needs me." Ichigo said simply. "I would do the same for you."

Yoruichi had no comeback for that.

"What do I do?"

Tessai seeing the resolve in his eyes decided to not argue.

"Just lie down next to her, and let me work." Ichigo obliged and lay next to Tia. Tessai put his hands on their foreheads and stared chanting.

Ichigo felt his consciousness slipping away, and with his last move he took her hand and squeezed it gently.

* * *

Inside Tia's Mind

Ichigo opened his eyes and saw the familiar looking archipelago… being ripped apart by a powerful storm and slowly flooded by humongous waves.

"Hell."

* * *

A/N

Hell yeah! I just got my college diploma! Yay me! Now it's only going to get worse! haha but anyways I hope you liked the chapter. Also my old readers knows what coming so let me warn you I'm not going to pull any punches here so be warned!

But I also wanted to rant about something namely what is currently happening with Bleach series so **SPOILERS **

Kubo is rushing it, I don't know why but he's rushing it dropping the sub plots like flies and forgetting characters. Also what's with this everyone is getting a ban-kai then getting rekt? I'm sad that a series such as bleach is going to end in such way...

Aizen part will most likely happen just like Ginjo and Tsukishima so sudden apperance bang! and we're good

Save Tia part was most likely forgotten and maybe it will get a page where her fracction bust her out.

But what piss me off the most is Ichigo.

He turned into spineless pussy. It was happening since the Fullbringer arc, he was drowing in depsair with that dramatic scream and suddenly all hope is lost. What happened to the guy that fought Cifer till the very end? But now he is suddenly giving up every time things get tough. What's the point of giving him all those transformations when he's only using them once. First fullbring one, then his ,,new" look after he regained power then wham! we need something new so we give him two swords and even a horn( his Vasto lorde form was way cooler) then again get's owned. What the hell I mean he gets defeated alsmost every time now no matter who he face... so yeah I'm not happy with the series.

Ok I needed to get that out off my chest.

Thanks for reading and don't forget to drop a** reivew!**


	15. Memories&Secrets part II

Chapter 19

"Hell." Ichigo cursed aloud, but his voice was drowned out by the typhoon. The mind scape he remembered as warm and sunny, was now chaotic and dangerous. Threatening to swallow him whole.

The wild sea was swallowing the smaller islands with its primal fury. The huge thunder clouds were roaring across, and furious lightning illuminates the darkness sporadically. Sometimes they hit the islands below, shattering everything on their surface and lighting ablaze what survived. However the fires were quickly put down by the heavy downpour.

The most bizarre and horrendous part was the tsunami wave itself.

It wasn't like a normal wave, rolling over everything in its path with terrifying speed, this one was… slow. It went through islands slowly, devouring each one by one, not hurrying at all.

Ichigo looked with wide eyes as the fifty floor high wall of water moving slowly closer to him. He would ponder on the impossibility of that phenomenon, if not for the fact that his own inner world was sideways.

"God damn it!" He looked around frantically. "Tia! TIA!" He yelled vainly, hoping to outshout the storm. Then he flew in a seemingly random direction. 'I don't know where to even start!' He circled for a few minutes, growing more and more irritated with his lack of progress. Then a proverbial light bulb appeared above his head.

He began to calm himself down and expanded his senses. To his utter surprise, his senses were assaulted from all the sides by wild Reiatsu.

'Well that's not gonna get me anywhere.' Ichigo thought, feeling anger swell inside him. But he wouldn't give up. He started to focus more looking for some form of more organized, potent Reiatsu. It wasn't an easy task in a blizzard of the energy, but Ichigo finally managed to find what he was looking for.

He flew to the point were the Reiatsu was most potent. Landing on what seemingly looked like the largest island in the region, judging from its size.

He walked the rest of the way since the winds grew to strong to fly. After about fifteen minutes of walking he entered a city.

All the buildings were in ruins, ripped apart by lightning and wind. All except one house that stuck out like a sore thumb... mostly because of the yellow bubble protecting it from any harm.

It had a very classy design, made out of brick with white columns before the doors. From the front the two floor building looked very homely.

Ichigo gently touched the barrier's surface, and was surprised that his hand went right through it. Ichigo pressed further and soon his whole body was inside the barrier.

To his shock he immediately felt warmth, like he wasn't just in the middle of a typhoon. He walked to the wooden door and gently pressed the handle. The doors opened with small creak, and Ichigo moved inside.

The light were on, allowing him to see a house that could only be seen in history books. Oil lamps were illuminating a wooden corridor, which could only be described as very retro. The beautifully handcrafted furniture's, and regales filled with books were lined along the wall.

Ichigo moved further into the house, ending up in a cozy living room.

Two heavy wooden armchairs were placed near a bricked fireplace. The wood made cracking sounds as it burned, giving off comforting waves of heat. On the opposite side of the room was s big panoramic window, with heavy curtains.

'Those could probably give a splendid view on the city if I moved the curtains aside… if there was any city left to look at.' Ichigo felt sadness clench his heart. He was about to leave when a glass cabinet attracted his attention, or rather what was in it.

Firstly he noticed a beautiful saber. Ichigo opened the cabinet and took the saber in his hand. It was ornamented with gold and silver, in what he estimated a European fashion style, an eagle with a crown engraved in the hilt. He continued inspecting the blade, and saw that the edge was ornamented as well. It showed a man on the horse with pair of wings attached to his back. That was followed by two sentences.

"Deus spes mea." Ichigo read crudely. "Vivat Hussar." He swung it a few times marveling how light it was. He trailed his finger along the blunt side of the blade, and was quite surprised when he cut his finger at the tip of the blade. It was still razor sharp. He put the weapon back in its place.

Ichigo looked at the other shelf and saw a harpoon. It was quite crudely made, and obviously used, but he had a distant feeling that it was as well-kept as the saber.

Not finding anything else interesting Ichigo left the living room and headed deeper into the house. He went back to the hall, and passed the kitchen. He was about to open a nearby door when he noticed the many pictures on the walls.

'Wait a minute.' He walked closer to see them in the dim light. "These are photos!" He looked at the nearest one. It showed two people hugging each other, bright smiles on their faces.

One was a tanned, gorgeous looking woman, with raven hair and teal eyes. Ichigo's eyes traveled south and stopped at her barely covered bust.

"Definitely her Mother." He mumbled blushing. Then he looked at the blonde man. He was a head taller than her. He had a light blonde hair and blue eyes. He was smiling cockily. It gave him the appearance of someone that was planning some sort of prank.

Ichigo smirked at this sight. He moved to another photo that showed a tall, tanned, muscular dark haired man. His face was rather primal looking, giving him an aggressive appearance, yet if you looked closer you could see a pair of kind brown eyes.

The next photo showed Tia, when she was a kid. He could feel the corners of his lips going up.

Young tia was simply adorable.

On the earlier ones he saw Tia with her parents hugging her affectionately. This continued until she was about four.

His smile faded. He knew why... her parents stopped appearing in the photos. Tia told him that they died in a massive tsunami that hit the island. He knew the pain of losing a parent very well. He couldn't image what he would do if his father died too.

He moved along the wall and saw various scenes from her life. Tia's learning how to fish. Her first time surfing. Learning how to read and write. Pulling a prank on the dark haired man. Climbing a tree and so on.

With each passing photo he could see that she was becoming more and more beautiful. He stopped at the last photo.

Ichigo saw Tia. and some dark haired girl. She was obviously younger than her. In this photo Tia looked around twenty, while the girl was ten at best. Tia was holding her in a sister-like fashion, and smiling. Yet Ichigo noticed a deep sadness in her eyes. While on previous photos she was literally beaming, now her eyes were rather dim and her smile forced.

The realization hit him like a hammer. When the black haired man stopped appearing, the time between the photos grew.

While at the beginning, they showed almost day by day how she grew, later on in time the photo was taken grew further apart. The difference between the last photo, and the previous one was at least a few years.

On the second to last photo, Tia was hugging the now gray haired man with a big toothy smile. He was laughing and ruffing her messy blond hair.

Ichigo felt that something really bad had happened between the last two photos. At the end of the photos he saw several doors, and noticed that more photos hung on the other side of the doors. He had moved to see them when he heard quiet sobs coming out of one room.

He had gently opened the door and peaked inside. He saw a medium sized room with simple wooden furniture, namely a wardrobe, desk, chair, and a bed. A window was near the bed, and Ichigo could see lightning illuminating the dim room.

On the aforementioned bed Ichigo saw a silhouette. It was under a quilt. Ichigo slowly walked to the bed and grabbed the edge of the quilt. He braced himself for anything, and quickly pulled the quilt over.

**"Kyaaaaa!"** The person screamed, cowering in fear before Ichigo.

"Tiburon?" He asked with surprise. Tiburon was now curled by the corner of the bed, pressing herself to the wall and trembling. But when she heard his voice, she jumped at him and latched onto him, crying against his chest.

Ichigo returned the hug awkwardly, not really knowing what to do. He was both lost and confused.

"Shh, everything will be fine." He whispered quietly, pressing her closer. She snuggled up to him desperately.

**"Ichigo."** She choked, looking into his eyes. **"Please save us."** She pleaded with a tear stained face.

"I will, but I need to know what I have to do? What is going on with Tia?" He tried to calm her down. Tiburon took a deep breath and sat back on the bed. She reached over to a night stand, and took out three rag dolls, hugging them tightly. Ichigo hadn't commented her behavior, instead waiting for her to start.

**"When Tia first used that Kido stuff, nothing bad had happened."** She started shakily. **"My power just disrupted the process since her Shinigami powers were repressed…"** She looked at him with an accusing stare. **"Or so I though it the beginning… It unlocked her repressed memories, as well her dormant Shinigami powers, disrupting our balance. The more she remembered the more active her Shinigami powers were."** She sighed. **"Then the vortex awoke."**

"Vortex? You mean that thing I saw when I was here last?" Ichigo asked.

Tiburon nodded.

**"Yes. Her Shinigami powers are imprisoned there."** She started to tremble. **"I was there for a while as well… it's a cold and dark place, filled with nothing but despair."** She started to sob again. Ichigo hugged her again, but she broke away pushing him back.

**"It's all your fault!"** She yelled, surprising him. **"If you just hadn't tried to teach her that shitty Kido! I… she… we would be alright!"** Ichigo felt a stab of guilt, he knew that she was right. **"Now I will be all alone in darkness again."** She cried silently, hugging the rag dolls to her chest harder.

"Tiburon." He put his hands on her arms. "I will save Tia and you, even if I have to die in the process." He stated firmly, his determination reflecting in her eyes. She couldn't hold his stare, and looked down ashamed. "I will not fail, you have my word."

Tiburon's anger melted under his iron resolve.

**"I'm so sorry… I'm just scared. I don't want to go back there."** She sobbed.** "You can't imagine how... wrong that place is."**

"Tiburon you need to tell me where Tia is, so I can save her and stop all this." Ichigo urged her.

**"Tia is inside the vortex, trapped in her memories… I don't know how long she will manage to hold out." She stood and took his hand. "Before you go I want to show you something."** She lead him out of the room. She walked to a wall with the photos he hadn't seen yet.

On his way he saw many photos with three girls. From the looks of it they were always arguing, but he deduced that their relationship was similar to Ishida and his. Then he recalled that those girls were Tia's Fracción, which were killed in battle over the fake Karakura.

On one he saw an extremely bored looking, tall brown haired man with the remnants of his hollow mask hanging on his throat. Next to him stood a green haired girl with a big pout on her face. Her left eye and the top of her face were covered in helmet-like Hollow Mask with two horns, yet one of them was broken. Ichigo noticed her rather skimpy outfit, some unwanted thoughts of someone else in that outfit crept to his mind. He shook his head, needing to focus now.

Tiburon stopped next to the one of the bigger photos. To his surprise it showed him illuminated by the moon.

"Wasn't that…"

**"Yeah, it was the day you found her."** Tiburon smiled warmly. **"Keep looking and you'll see more of them.**" Indeed there were many more photos, mostly him and Tia, but he noticed his family too, and some of his friends. **"This house, is the place where all her precious memories and mementos are stored. That's why I'm protecting it from the storm… Even if I was born from despair and darkness… I too want to be happy."** She blushed. **"And you are giving us that happiness."**

"Tiburon…" Ichigo was at a loss for words. She closed the distance and placed a soft kiss on his lips. Ichigo felt some sort of electricity between them, literally.

**"Now you can breathe underwater, the vortex is behind that tsunami wave."** She told him. **"You must break into it, and get Tia out."**

"How I will find it?" Ichigo asked

**"It won't be difficult since it's devoured almost everything thing behind the wave. Get going. I'll stay and protect this place as long as I can."** She urged. Ichigo nodded and walked towards the entry**. "Be wary of despair and its offspring."** She warned him ominously. Ichigo nodded again and left the house.

The moment he left the barrier the cold rain hit him. The wind was blowing furiously, breaking apart the ruins of the town and the nearby trees. Ichigo shot into the air, and flew towards the tsunami wave.

It wasn't an easy task to fly in the storm, but Ichigo fought against it full of determination. After some struggle he finally floated in front of the wall of water. In the weak light it was almost completely black. It was quite the disturbing sight. He took a deep breath and dove into the water.

Despite begin told that he could breathe underwater, Ichigo was surprised when he couldn't tell the difference between water and air.

Ichigo shook his head, he had larger problems than that right now. With blazing speed he blasted deeper into the water.

The world around him grew darker and darker to the point where he could barely see. Yet he still pushed forward, having a feeling that he was on the right track. But the darkness was the least of his problems.

He felt crushed under the pressure he had no way of defending against.

Despair, pain, grief, guilt, all of that mixed into one, creeping inside his soul and chipping away at the resolve inside him. The deeper he got the more nagging it got. Yet he endured it.

Suddenly he saw light. He pushed toward it, and noticed that it was some sort of orb. It was hanging on some sort of line.

'What the hell is this?' Ichigo wondered and came closer, almost toughing the orb. And then only thanks to his honed skills and reflexes, he managed to avoid the jaws full of needle like teeth.

He looked on in horror at the face of monstrosity just before his eyes. It was horribly deformed and twisted. Milky white eyes were staring at him blindly. The thing was rotting, almost undead in appearance. Ichigo could see bones underneath sickeningly thin skin. It was only thanks to the glowing orb that he recognized the thing as a deep-sea fish.

'God and I thought it was ugly on TV.' The abomination opened its mouth and charged at Ichigo. "Getsuga Tensho!" He sent a blast of blue energy destroying the monster. It was like stick stirring a hornet's nest.

Suddenly everything came to life around him. And most of that things looked like a work of a drugged Salvador Dali, while having a waking nightmare.

Creatures of every shape and size charged at him. From sharks with two heads, to gigantic crabs with ridiculously large pincers, to creatures indescribable to a rational being. The whole sea was filled with swarms of the monsters. It was like the sea itself was made of them. He even saw an humongous winged whale heading toward him.

Then Ichigo did what any sane being with a will to live would.

"Nope." He ran.

Ichigo wasn't sacred. He was terrified. He fought Hollows, Arrancars, and Shinigami alike, yet nothing could compare to what he was facing now. He couldn't recall any Hollow that could come even close of that level of creepiness. Add to that the little to no light, and suddenly Ichigo felt the dire need to put as much of a distance between those things and himself as he could.

'I have to save Tia. I have to save Tia.' He chanted mentally, pushing away the images of the disturbing surroundings around him. ' Also need to have a talk about some of the things in her head.'

On cue he just narrowly avoided a sickly white octopus with red eyes, and a human-like face. The thing lashed out with its tentacle toward Ichigo. But it wasn't tentacle, it was a ridiculously long human arm. He dodged its long bony fingers.

More creatures closed in around him, just out of sight in the darkness. Fear rose up in him, but that fear led to something else... rage. 'They aren't stopping me. I'll show them something even worse exists here.' Ichigo put his hand over his face, and clawed downward. Suddenly any trace of light around them vanished.

**"Cero Getsuga"** For just a moment the bleak water was perfectly illuminated. A red orb of energy swelling up in his hand. Swarms of abominations roared, blinded by the intense red light. Ichigo wished someone could bleach his mind. The sheer amount of monstrosities surrounding him was almost to much to bear.

With a roar Ichigo released the attack. The blast wave tore through the hordes, ripping them all to shreds. In their death they gave disturbingly human cries of pain.

Ichigo grit his teeth at that sound. He felt like he was massacring humans. His hands were shaking, and he felt about to puke.

"Fuck, fuck, FUCK!" Ichigo roared. "What the fuck is going on here!" He took a deep breath, trying to calm down. He had a nasty feeling that this was just the beginning.

How right he was. The deeper he got, the more monsters he met. He cut through them, trying to ignore their cries. He lost track of time how long he was at this. At one point he could swear that he was swimming in blood.

Finally the amount of monsters seemed to dwindle, to point that they stopped attacking altogether. Ichigo didn't deluded himself in thinking that he got them all. So there was only one conclusion left.

He was getting close.

Soon he saw the edge of the vortex. It was sucking water inside, creating an enormous whirlpool. Ichigo felt that it was dragging him closer and closer.

He allowed this since he had felt Tia's Reiatsu now. It was faint yet unmistakably it belonged to her.

"I'm coming for you Tia." He took a deep breath. "Here goes nothing." Ichigo dove into the vortex, and was swallowed by darkness.

* * *

_Flashback Honolulu 1928_

"Uhh where the hell am I?" Ichigo massaged his head, trying to get rid of the horrible headache he currently had.

He opened his eyes only to be assaulted by intense light. After being in deep darkness for God knows how long, the sudden change was rather unpleasant.

When his eyes finally adjusted to the surroundings he noticed that he was lying in the square in the middle of the town he had seen in Tia's mind, except that there were actual people here.

What was strange, no one seemed to pay attention to him. Everyone ignored him and went about their lives. Ichigo got to his feet and went to the nearest villager, an old man with a smoking pipe.

"Excuse me can you tell me where Tia Halibel lives?" Ichigo asked politely. The man did even acknowledged his presence and continue smoking. Ichigo waved his hand before his eyes, but the man didn't even blink. 'It's like he can't see me.' Ichigo suspicions were quickly confirmed when a person walked right through him.

"What the hell?!" Ichigo jumped back looking shocked at the man that just walked through him. He had walked closer to the smoking man and tried to touch him. His hand went through him with absolutely no resistance.

"Awkward." He commented. Then he remembered what Tiburon told him. What he was seeing was a mere memory.

At first he headed towards Tia's home. He went through the wall, noticing that the house was empty with the exception of an old woman making dinner.

"Hmm probably another care taker." Ichigo thought aloud. He went outside and looked around, but there was no sign or her.

He sighed in defeat, and sat near the front door. He waited... and waited. At some point he'd lost all hope that she would ever come back.

'What if she lives somewhere else now?' He thought worriedly. Getting to his feet he was about to head back into the village, but a familiar shock of golden hair stopped him dead in his tracks. Seeing her draw close he felt his throat go dry.

Tia was slowly walking towards her home, wearing a light white dress that showed her shoulders, and an old style white hat to protect her from the rays of sun.

Ichigo's jaw was somewhere around his knees. She simply looked stunning.

Ichigo recalled this age Tia from the photo with the little girl.

When Tia walked closer, Ichigo saw that she was just as beautiful as her present self. But one thing caught his attention, her teal eyes, her sad blank teal eyes. The old and new grief could visibly be seen in them. Her face was impassive except the moments when she talked to the smaller girl that was walking besides her. The girl looked about nine, and had a dark hair that reached past her shoulders. Her skin was the same shade's as Tia's. He recognized her from the same photo.

Only during these responses could he see the sparks of life in her eyes, and a small gentle smile grace her face.

Ichigo wanted nothing more than to run to her and console her, but he stopped himself. The Tia he was seeing was nothing but memory. He had no idea on how to find her so he decided to simply follow this Tia, and see how the things played out.

The trio went inside the house. As soon as they did the old woman walked out of the kitchen with scowl on her face.

"Where the hell have you been!?" The old woman screeched.

"A walk." Tia replied shortly, taking her sandals off.

"Dinner was hours ago! I will not tolerate such behavior under my roof." She seethed, waving her fingers threateningly.

"Rather under my roof." Tia mumbled, but unfortunately the woman overheard her. She close the gap between them and slapped her, hard. Tia's head flew to the side, while her friend cowered behind her.

"I will not allow any back talk, do you understand?" She said sternly. Tia nodded with tears welling in her eyes. Ichigo was now staring at the old lady in fury.

'That bitch!' He growled, clenching his fists.

"I took you in six years ago when no one wanted to, and this is how you repay me? I never understood how Hale could stand your presence for that long!"

"You took me in?!" Tia felt her ire rise. "It was the courts that made YOU my legal guardian till I turn 21. Which will be in few months!" She snapped trembling with anger. "You live in MY house, spend MY money!..." Tia started to rant.

The old woman was about to slap Tia again when the front door opening interrupting her.

"Ladies please calm down, the whole street can hear you." A man in his late twenties told them. He was average height, about 170 cm, but he compensated it with a wide shoulders and a bulky build. He had dark brown eyes and raven hair.

"Kale, my son, I don't understand why you're always on her side." The woman asked in sadness.

"I'm on the side of reason, and arguing won't do us any good." He responded diplomatically.

"I guess your right… food is in the kitchen." She told them coldly, and walked to her room. Which just so happened to previously belonged to James and Mano. The man walked to Tia and gently caught her chin, turning it to the side where his Mother slapped her. He placed a soft kiss on it.

"Tia you know how Maile is… please stop provoking her." He pleaded. Tia smiled softly and caressed his cheek.

"I know, but it's just ..." She looked at the ground.

"I know it's hard, but you must stay strong." He smiled. "After all you're Pua's big Sister."

Tia gave him a real smile, putting her hand on Pua's head. "I guess you're right. Come on Pua, let's get something to eat." Tia took her surrogate sister, and walked to the kitchen. Kale stared at her with a smile as she left. His eyes not leaving her for a moment.

Ichigo wasn't sure on how to feel about the situation. He felt a stab of jealousy when Kale touched Tia. It was so obvious that he wouldn't even deny it. But on the other hand Ichigo was happy that Tia had someone who cared about her.

"Yeah, ya are either blind or incredibly stupid... or both at once, kingy." His Hollow told him.

"What the hell are you doing here? I thought that you could only come here only if you were invited." Hichigo snorted.

"If you make direct contact with her yes, but with that sado-maso pervert spell we went as whole package. The old goat is here as well."

"I would prefer if you stop calling me that." Zangetsu told him.

"Ok, ok guys we're getting off the topic. What did you mean by that earlier comment?" Ichigo asked.

"Do I have to explain everything to you?" He sighed. "Care for her? Like shit, rather caring how to grope that sweet ass."

"You're crazy, he was just nice to her and cares for her well being." Ichigo argued.

"You could've fooled me. I know the look of pure lust when I see it, believe me." He shot back.

"So what? I..." Ichigo paused feeling his cheeks heat up a bit. "I think that she's attractive, but that doesn't mean that I don't care about her in other ways."

"I agree with you Ichigo, but in your case..." The Zanpakuto paused."...your concern comes before the lust, but that man…." Zangetsu supported Hichigo.

"I guess we have to observe him more to be sure of it." Ichigo gave in, not commenting on Zangetsu's statement about his lust. He followed the man to the living room. Kale sat down on one of the armchairs, and closed his eyes. Ichigo seeing nothing of interesting left and walked to the kitchen where Tia and Pua were eating.

"Hey Tia, why are you and Maile always arguing?" Pua asked.

"Pua, I told you that I will tell you when you are older." The girl pouted. "Let's say that we disagree on certain matters."

"But can't you just get along, like you and me, or you and Kale?" Tia sighed.

"Sometimes people just don't get along. You will understand when you get older." Tia told her in an almost motherly tone.

"But you and Kale are getting very along." She told her slyly. Tia blushed and looked shocked at her little sister.

"Pua, what are you talking about?" She almost shouted.

"Well my friend told me that if girl and boy like each other they kiss and hug each other." Pua gave her a toothy smile. "So does that mean that you like Kale?"

"If you say it like that, then I guess I do." Tia blushed even more. Ichigo again felt another stab of jealousy. He briefly wondered what would happen when Tia remembers her old love. "Anyways let's go back to our room, we have to get you ready for evening prayers."

The duo, plus Ichigo, went to the Tia's and Pua's room. When Tia began to dress Pua up he left the room out of decency.

"Pua! It's time to go to evening prayers." Malie shouted.

"Coming!" The girl shouted back and walked out of the room. Ichigo walked back to the room, and saw Tia lying on the bed looking out of the window with a thousand mile stare. Her face was again expressionless, and eyes sad. Ichigo sat near her, feeling for her. To see her so utterly devoid of hope and joy was killing him.

"Things will get better for you Tia. I will make up for every bad thing that happened in your life. I swear on my soul."

Then the doors opened and Kale walked in. He even sat in exact same place where Ichigo was sitting. Ichigo stood up quickly, finding the situation too uncomfortable.

"Hey Tia what's up? You seem really down today." He placed his hand on hers. "Tell me."

"You know tomorrow... it's that day." She whispered.

"Ah, I see… the uprising."

"Yes... the day when Hale died." She forced back tears.

"I know, but we all lost someone dear to us." He squeezed her hand. "But we cannot let it stop us from living." He smiled at her, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. Tia felt a bit better and caressed his cheek.

"I'm so happy that I've met you." She said sincerely, with a small blush.

Hale's smile widened. He turned and moved his ankle over her so he was sitting at top of her.

"What are you doing?" She asked curiously, a small smile forming on her lips.

"Watch." He leaned forward and kissed her. Tia smirked and returned the kiss. Ichigo looked on with anger at the pair. This time he did not felt a stab of envy, he was hit with a sledgehammer by it.

'Calm down... she didn't know you then.' It didn't do much. 'Hell, I feel like some fucking stalker.' Kale moved his hand to her right breast, fondling it making Tia gasp. Yet she did not stop him as the make out session got even hotter.

Ichigo gritted his teeth, and turned on his heel. Tia deserved that much privacy, besides seeing other man touch his Tia made him angry.

'Your Tia? Hohoho getting possessive kingy?'

'Shut it.' Ichigo snapped angrily, moving towards the door, but he was stopped in his tracks by Tia's voice.

"That's enough Kale." Ichigo turned around and saw that now Tia was holding Kale's hand… which was under her skirt. His cheeks instantly burned red as he saw a little too much.

"Oh come one Tia. You know I love you, and I know that you love me." He tried to reason with her.

"I know, but I want it to be special." She blushed shyly.

"We can make it very special now." He kissed her neck.

"I'm not ready yet… you will have to wait a little longer, ok?" She tried to kiss him, but he straightened his back.

"Why are you so selfish?" He asked her coldly.

"What?" She replied, surprised with his cold tone.

"I mean I give you everything you want, and yet you decline me the one thing I want from you." He narrowed his eyes in anger.

"Kale it's not like that…" She pleaded. "I'm just not ready yet..."

"Six years. I've been protecting you from the others, cheering you up when you were down, and even putting up with this small bitch Pua... for what? For this "I'm not ready yet" shit." He pinned her down to the bed.

"Kale please you're hurting me!" She begged, her eyes watered. Tia looked at her boyfriend like some sort of alien. A horrid realization came upon her.

She didn't know him at all.

"Tia, Tia, Tia, I wanted to do this in a gentle way, but you're not leaving me no choice." He licked his lips and looked at her in a way that made her tremble.

"Kale? What are you going to do?" She asked in a small voice, filled with fear.

"Watch." He held both of her hands with one hand, and then ripped her dress off her exposing her bare breasts.

Ichigo was looking at the scene at first with shock, then rage, and finally fury.

"I WILL FUCKING RIP YOU APART, YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Ichigo roared, lunging forward at Kale, trying to slash him furiously. His fury grew when his sword went right through him, not doing any damage. Witch each swipe he grew more desperate.

"Kale I beg you, stop please!" Tia struggled.

Kale smirked and lowered his head and sucked her right nipple, groping her left breast. She tired to push him off, squirming an struggling, but the man was way stronger than her.

"Stop it." He slapped her roughly. "It's all your fault for denying me for so long." He smirked. "If you just went with it, everything would be fine. You would have a man that loves you, and I would have this house and a fine body to fuck." She looked at him in horror.

"W-was that what this was all about it? You only wanted my house and body?" She asked with disbelief, feeling whatever was left of her emotions brutally crushed.

Hale simply laughed.

"Yeah, the house was my main priority, but..." He tighten his grip on her wrists. "You're a nice bonus too." He freed a hand and slowly moved it back under her skirt.

"But… but you said you loved me!?" Tia felt like her heart would explode any second. She did not want to believe this. She begged whatever God was listening for it to just be a bad dream.

"Oh how easy it was to manipulate the sad lonely girl into thinking that someone liked her." His hand reached her panties, and slowly moved them down. "You bring bad luck to people who care about you… but not to those who want to use you."

His hands slid between her legs, stroking her womanhood.

Ichigo looked at the scene in a trance. The horror of it all paralyzed him. He fell down to his knees, tears sliding down his face. He tried to reach her, to help her, but in this world he was powerless. He could only just passively look on as Tia's nightmare played out. He could not believe what he was seeing. He refused to believe that no one would come in right now, and save Tia from being violated.

'Ichigo.' His Hollow started in an eerily calm tone. "If we ever encounter that scum in Soul Society, we will rip him apart… slowly" Hichigo growled. 'She's our property. Only we can touch her.' Ichigo trembled in rage, silently agreeing with his Hollow whole heartily... except for the property part.

'This crime cannot go unpunished.' Zangetsu, the calmest of them, uttered with such spite that even he managed to out do the Hollow. But that paled with what Ichigo felt right now. Ichigo never harbored such hatred towards anyone, not even Aizen.

Ichigo knew that he would enjoy ending this man's life in the most painful way.

"No, you're lying, please tell me you're lying!" Tia burst into sobs.

"Everything will be fine, you will learn to enjoy it." He told her in a mockery of gentleness. His hand slid back and removed what was left of her dress, exposing her underwear. He grinned, shoving one finger in her vagina. He started to move it deeper into her hole, enjoying the sensation. Tia gasped trying to get free of his iron grip. Her actions only seemed to arouse Kale more.

"So tight." He purred. "It's wrapping around my finger so much, you're enjoying it!"

"No, stop I beg you!" Tia cried. He leaned and licked her tears off her face.

"Don't worry. Soon you will be begging me not to stop." He grabbed her by the shoulders, and turned her on her belly. Then he raised her hips and pulled off her underwear exposing her naked rear. "Look how wet you are. I bet you can't wait for me to put my dick in." He took out his throbbing erection. When Tia saw this she was about to scream, but he forestalled her by pushing her face into the pillow. "No, no, no. There won't be any screaming now. We wouldn't want to alarm anyone, would we?" He pressed the tip of his penis to Tia's entrance, teasing her. He grinned maniacally, enjoying the warmth of the juices flowing out of her. "How long I have waited for this." He sighed in pleasure. Tia tried to say something, but her voice was muffled by the pillow. "What? You can't wait anymore? Oh who I am to deny you then…. Enjoy." And with one strong thrust he entered her.

Something broke inside Ichigo when he heard Tia's howl of pain. He fell to his knees and started to weep. He wept like he was nine years old again, staring at his death Mother unable to help her. Now another important woman in his life was suffering, and he couldn't do anything to help.

"Why her?! WHY?!" Ichigo punched the ground, gritting his teeth. "Kami why?" He choked back a sob as her moans of pain, were killing his very soul. The horrifying realization that he could not do a thing to help her, washed over him.

Through tears he had seen the blood coming out of her private area. Her broken hymen was bleeding strongly because of the force of the thrust that ripped it. Tia cried loudly into her pillow, yet Kale was pounding her mercilessly. His hips were moving faster and faster not giving her a moment to rest.

After a while her cries grew quieter and quieter till she didn't made any sound, expect the occasional grunt. Kale let go of her head, and put both of his arms on her hips to gain better balance.

Tia turned her head to the side, and looked towards the doors. But from Ichigo's perspective he could swear that she looked right into his eyes.

Her eyes were the hit that broke his heart. The eyes he remembered as calm and stern, yet gentle and even mischievous, at times were gone. They were replaced by empty look devoid of anything, be it hope or joy, just nothing.

Like a corpse.

Kale leaned down and caught her lips in a kiss. Tia didn't even react to this, she just accepted it. He pressed forward and grabbed both of her breasts. After a few minutes his movements started to grow more wild. He took both of her hands and pulled them back, lifting Tia's torso.

"Tia I'm going to cum!" He choked between breaths. "I'm cumming!" His member erupted, and filled her womb with his semen. He bent his back thrusting his hips as far as he could into her. With one final gasp he fell on her back, breathing rapidly.

Soon he pulled out of her, looking on with pleasure at his semen mixed with her blood flowing out of her deflowered womanhood.

"We have some time left before they come back, so clean yourself up and change the sheets." He stood and walked to the door. "If you tell anyone, I will ensure that poor little Pua will have a very nasty accident."

Ichigo had never felt such hatred before. It was like a raging inferno, consuming everything in it's path. He trembled in fury, as the hate burned in his veins. In that very moment he made a promise. A promise to impose a cruel, slow and inhuman death on this man, no this vermin!

"I swear...you will suffer..." Ichigo growled, not even aware that the darkness inside of him took a hold.

Kale looked at her smugly one more time before leaving the room slamming the door shut.

Ichigo moved his eyes to Tia's face, feeling all his anger and power leave him. Replaced quickly by despair and grief. He moved closer, trying to caress her cheek, despite how futile it was. Ichigo wanted nothing more than to take her into his arms and comfort her. To shield her from all the pain and grief. To tell her that everything would be alright.

"H-Hey... things will get better you know..." His chin started to tremble, and he was not able to keep his voice from cracking. "You'll see..." He took a shaky breath, not sure if he was trying to convince her or himself.

Before he managed to say anything else, Tia moved her arm and reached to her nightstand shelf. Grabbing the three rag dolls off it, she hugged them closely. Soon the rivers of tears flowed out of her eyes.

"Hale... Hale… please..." She wept, hugging the dolls close to her chest while curling into a fetal position. "Please I need you..." She started to tremble all over, squeezing her eyes shut. " Help me, Hale…." The rest turned into unintelligible gibberish, as she buried her face into a pillow.

"You done cleaning?! Mother and the little idiot will be here in fifteen minutes!" Kale's voice sounded from behind the door.

"That son of a bitch!" Ichigo swore that the gall of the man.

"Pua." Tia whispered, drawing his attention. "He will hurt her…" Tia forced her tears back and tried to stand. She made a few shaky steps before falling down, intense pain shooting through her lower regions.

Ichgo tried to catch her, but she just flew through him. Her hands traveled to her womanhood trying to ease the pain a bit. She took deep breath attempting to calm herself, then a look of determination crept on her face.

With a painful grunt she stood again, and pulled some clothes out of her wardrobe to cover herself.

"I will not let you hurt her..." She whispered in spite, stiffly walking out of the room.

Ichigo had followed her, fearing what was about to happen. She had walked to the dimly lit living room. She had reached the glass cabinet, and opened it, taking out the saber. She unsheathed it and dropped the sheath. Tia looked at it's extremely sharp edges, then her face twisted in primal fury.

Ichigo gulped, he had never seen such a murderous look on Tia's face.

"Hey what the hell are you doing here?!" Kale entered the room. He didn't notice the blade in her hand, since her back was to him. "I told you to clean that mess up." He grabbed her shoulder, and roughly turned her around.

Tia used that motion and stabbed the saber right through the middle of his chest. The blade pierced his skin like a hot knife through butter. Kale yelled, at first more of surprise than actual pain. Tia furiously twisted the blade in his wound. He tried to push her back but his strength was quickly leaving him, as quickly as the blood that was seeping from his wound. He coughed up a large amount of crimson liquid, actually spilling some on Tia. She yanked the blade out of him, disgust written all over her face. He backed away a few steps, and fell to his knees.

"You're… You... bitch!" He choked, glaring at her with fury.

That was it. Something had snapped inside Tia. Any shred of humanity was gone from her face as she lunged at Kale with a furious roar.

"DIE! DIEDIEDIEDIE!" She screamed savagely, while hacking and slashing. Every strike was filled with anger, grief, frustration, and despair. All those years of resentment, insults, repression, and begin looked down upon were released all at once.

By the time she stopped, Kale's body was mutilated beyond recognition, his blood painting the walls of the room.

Tia herself was soaked in blood from head to toe. Panting heavily she looked at the blood splattered everywhere.

She dropped the bloody weapon on the ground, and started to tremble violently. A loud wail escaped her, as she fell to her knees, wrapping her arms around herself. She started crying again.

Ichigo was simply too horrified to do anything. Yes, he himself was no stranger to blood and violence, but he had never seen anything so brutal and visceral. To hack someone helpless to the point that the person was no longer recognizable, was simply foreign to him. To kill someone in such an animistic manner... and what was even worse the person who did it was Tia.

Kind, reasonable, down to earth Tia.

"Why? Why me?" She mumbled, interrupting his thoughts.

"Oh my god, Tia…I'm so sorry." The guilt was killing him now. "If not for me trying to teach you Kido…." Ichigo gritted his teeth, trying to not completely break down. "You would never..."

Then he heard the sound of a door opening. His eyes widened, snapping to the corridor then back to Tia

"Tia! I'm back." Pua yelled running to their room, but she noticed that Tia was in the living room. "Hey Tia what are you- " The little girl paused, taking in the sight before her. Her surrogate sister drenched in blood, kneeling in the pools of said liquid, surrounded by bloody fragments of what looked to be a person. Her mouth hung open in silent scream, as she wasn't able to utter a sound.

"Hey why are you standing in the middle of…" Maile peeked around to see what was going on, and like Pua, she froze in shock. But as soon as she realized what she was seeing, a high-pitched scream escaped her mouth.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOO! KALEEEE!" She yelled at top of her lungs, snapping Tia out of her daze. "YOU FILTHY WHORE! WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY SON!? MURDERER! POLICE!" She ran out of house with a scream.

Tia looked at the petrified Pua, feeling immense pity for the girl. Tia knew that this was it for her, and she would be safe one way or another. She got up from her knees and slowly moved towards Pua. Tia wanted to stoke her hair, but Pua cringed, shying away from her seemingly in fear.

A flash of hurt passed through Tia's face, siphoning away any feelings that were left in her.

"I sorry Pua… but your big sister has to go…" Tia's voice broke. "...find happiness." She passed her, then left the house.

Ichigo chased after Tia, but noticed the tears forming in the young girl eyes as he passed.

"Tia…" She whispered.

Ichigo ran out of the house, and found Tia slumped against her house wall, holding her stomach. The pain was clearly visible on her face, as she tried to catch her breath. Streets lamps were illuminating the street. This allowed Ichigo to see the on coming crowd. In front was Maile, accompanied by a few policemen with a dozen onlookers

"There she is!" Maile yelled. "That bloody whore murdered my SON!" Ichigo saw the townsfolk gawking at Tia with shock, seeing the state of her attire.

"Murderer!" Some random villager shouted. "Killer! Arrest her!" The shouting escalated. Suddenly a rock bolted right next to her head and hit the wall. The crowd started to creep closer, the police unable to stop them.

Ichigo knew that it was a memory, and nothing he could do would change it. Yes, his brain was very aware of that. Yet his body acted on instinct and moved between Tia and the crowd. He bared his sword and glared at the mob, anger fueling him.

"Get her! Don't let the monster run away!" Maile yelled. The mob broke through the police line with ease, and charged at her with a howl.

Tia ran using what was left of her strength. The terror she felt now helped her a little, but she knew that she would fall soon. The pain in her womb was growing with every passed moment, burning her from the inside. But like a hunted animal, she was running didn't want to stop running, her oppressors drawing closer and closer. She did not how long she ran, only the more sparse buildings indicated that she was leaving the city.

Finally she reached the cliff above her treasured surfing point. She ran to the very edge of the cliff. Tia looked at the abyss below, at the waves violently crashing against the rocks.

The mob cut off any possible way of escape. Before they managed to advance, a few shots were fired in the air startling them.

"Order!" One of the Policemen shouted, baring his revolver. "I'll personally shot anyone who dares to cross me." He turned his attention to Tia. "Look just get on your knees and give up. We will take you to the station for questioning, you will be treated fairly."

Ichigo could hear that the man was sincere. If not for his intervention Tia would've been lynched by the crowd. But what surprised Ichigo the most, was the look on Tia's face.

It was tranquil.

Tia smiled.

She took a step back.

* * *

_Tia's P.O.V_

I start to fall. I feel rush of wind around my body. My hair flowing in all directions around me.

Yet I find the situation right.

My body has grown numb, even the burning pain in my womb has stopped. For these precious few seconds it is just me and the air, nothing else matters.

My life flashes before me. The happy and the bad moments.

My mother singing me lullabies.

My father's light and warm voice, as he's telling me stories.

My parent's death.

Hale's lectures and teachings.

My pranks on him, and his on me.

Me surfing, riding on the waves with Hale.

Hale's death and last words… I'm so sorry Hale. I broke my promise...

Meeting Kale, and being protected by him from others.

Adopting Pua as a surrogate Sister.

Helping raise Pua.

Falling in love with Kale.

Being raped, and broken by Kale.

Killing Kale.

Parting with Pua. I'm so sorry. Please forgive me Pua. Please be happy... and know I love you.

My body finally hits the water, but I don't feel any pain. I just look up at the fading world. So tired of everything. Then I noticed that there is a full moon. I really wanted to reach out to it.

I'm so tired.

I feel something incredibly soft break my descent. My eyes start to close... so heavy… so sleepy.

Just before I close my eyes I see a silhouette coming to me. I recognized it….

So you came for me… Mano. My world starts to fade… so sleepy…

Tia's P.O.V end

* * *

_Normal P.O.V_

Time seemed to slow for Ichigo. He painfully, slowly reached her, trying to catch her, but this time as well his hands just went through her. Tia fell into the abyss.

Ichigo, without hesitation jumped after her, falling down with her. He watched the tranquil expression stay with her the whole way. Yet the tears flowed freely.

Her body crashed into water, drowning instantly. Ichigo dived down with her, looking at her last moments. Tia slowly extended her left hand forward, like she was trying to reach for something.

Life slowly left her eyes. Tia started to close them, but before she did her gaze turned slightly to the right. Ichigo followed her sight and froze.

A shark was coming closer.

'Must be all that blood on her.' He thought in panic. But the closer the shark get the darker the world had become.

Before it got to her, the world of her memories was swallowed by darkness.

* * *

Tia's mindscape, outside the vortex

Tiburon was using every ounce of strength she possessed to protect the house. The sea of abominations stormed against her barrier mercilessly. The attack started as soon the house was swallowed by the tsunami. She yelled in pain as a particularly big shark hit the barrier.

"Ichigo please hurry, I can't hold on much longer." She bit her lip, drawing upon more Reiatsu.

* * *

_Inside the vortex._

Ichigo opened his eyes, only to see that it didn't do much. It was completely dark around him. Moreover wherever he was was terribly cold. Ichigo was sure that there was steam coming out of his mouth. He started to walk in a random direction.

"Tia!" He yelled. "Tia!" He continued calling for some time, yet no one responded. "God damn it! I'll never find her this way. Think, think, you're the damned Kido Commander!" His eyes shot open wide. "I got it! Bakudo no58: Kakushitsuijaku!" Ichigo executed the spell. A line of light shot into the darkness, towards the largest source of Reiatsu.

After unspecified distance he began hearing soft wailing. He sped up, and soon found the one connected to the other end. It was Tia… yet not how he expected to see her.

A four year old Tia was crying, rubbing her eyes with her small fists. Thanks to the spell she was surrounded by a faint blue glow, chasing away the darkness.

"Tia..." Ichigo whispered. Tia's head shot up, and she looked at him with eyes full of tears and fear.

"Who are you? I don't know you!" She exclaimed, backing away.

"Hey, it's ok." He started gently. "I won't hurt you." Ichigo slowly walked closer, kneeling to level himself with Tia.

"Where are my Mommy and Daddy?" She asked with an anxious tone. Ichigo blinked, how he was supposed to tell a four-year old that her parents were dead.

"I don't know." He lied. "But don't worry, I'll take care of you..." Suddenly Tia silhouetted blurred. In the place of four year old girl stood now a fourteen year old teenager.

"Just like Hale? And then you will die telling me to be happy?!" She yelled. "I was all alone and everybody hated me! "

"Tia... I'm sure you had someone you loved!" He begged her. Her image blurred again. Now an adult Tia was standing before him.

"Loved?" She spat with spite. "I loved Kale, and then he raped me! Everyone hates me! I didn't do anything to them, and they are hurting me! WHY?!" She screamed in desperation.

"What about Pua?" Ichigo tried to reach her somehow.

"She thinks I'm monster…" She sobbed, falling to her knees. "She's scared of me."

"No Tia, she still loves her big Sister. Please let's get out of here." He grabbed her shoulders gently. "Come back with me, Tia."

"Who are you?" She asked uncertainly, looking into his eyes. Having a feeling that she knew this boy from somewhere.

"Tia it's me, Ichigo. Don't you remember?" Ichigo saw something akin to recognition on her face. "Remember how I found you in the park under a sakura tree? Or your first time in Karakura High? Or the times we were training, and you beat the crap out of me? Or the time we danced all night at the club? Or..." He felt a blush appeared on his face. "When we kissed?"

"Ichigo?" She finally recognized him. A blue thunder like glow appeared on her face in the place of hers tattoos. "Is it really you?" She asked hopefully.

"Yeah, it's me. I came to save you." He smiled, feeling his own eyes starting to water. Cracks started to appear in the darkness around them.

Tia smiled, but then she backed off from him. Doing everything in her power to not look at him.

"Don't look at me." She turned back to him.

"Tia..." He said trying to touch her.

"Don't look at me!" She exclaimed, wrapping her arms around her. "I'm filthy."

"No you're not." He stated firmly. More cracks appeared, letting faint rays of light in.

"Yes I am! You saw what he did... you saw..." Her voice broke, as shame washed over her. "Just leave me here-"

"NO!" Ichigo yelled defiantly, pulling her into a tight hug. She inhaled sharply as he pulled her close. She tried to struggle, but with all that happened she had little to no strength to resist him.

"You are a brave, noble, and beautiful woman! " He uttered with passion. "What happened to you... was unacceptable! You didn't deserve any of that! It wasn't fair!" Ichigo had a really hard time keeping his tears at bay, while hugging Tia with all his might. " It's not fair... it's not goddamn fair..." He finally gave up and let the tears fall.

Tia felt her eyes water again too. Ichigo's raw honesty, the pain written all over his face, as if it happened to him.

"Ichigo..." Tia managed to choke before following the suit. She buried her face into his neck, allowing her tears to fall. She returned the hug desperately, finding a little bit of comfort in it. She felt safe in his arms.

"I will save you Tia, no matter what." Ichigo stated with utter conviction. Tia's breath got stuck in her throat, she believed him. Call her naïve, but she believed him.

Only then she finally allowed herself to feel something she never imagined would survive here.

Hope.

The darkness shattered like a glass, letting in the rays of a warm sun.

"Ichigo…" The shards of darkness reflected the light, creating a rain of light around them.

"Let's get out of here." He lifted her bridal style. She yelped quietly, but warped her arms around his neck.

Ichigo shot into the air. He saw that they were at the very bottom of the vortex now. The water was swirling wildly around them, yet he saw a tunnel free of water in front of him. He flew there and sped up. He could see the bright sun at the end of the road.

The sea monsters tried to stop him, yet none of them could break into the tunnel. Suddenly the exit from the tunnel was blocked by a wall of black glass. Ichigo felt Tia arms tighten around his neck. He accelerated even more, and gathered his Reiatsu around him.

He hit the wall with all the force he possessed and tore through it like paper. The black glass exploded into a million shards.

The duo broke free, and shot into clear blue sky. The dark storm clouds were already disappearing. A circle of light was growing and growing.

The water level lowered, showing more and more islands. The abominations were being sucked back into the vortex.

Ichigo looked at woman in his arms, while Tia looked at the person who saved her from despair. A bright smile on his face, puffy from all this crying, looked ridiculous, but to Tia it was the most beautiful thing in the world. She could not help but return the smile.

"It's over Tia, it's finally over." He said, relief written all over his face. "Let's go ho-"

A blood chilling roar echoing from the vortex interrupted him...

* * *

A/N

Well let's see if this time around the reaction to this chapter will be as strong as last time.

So rant time!

Today we gather to see the final breath of the once prestigious manga. At one point it was one of the best manga around the block but as the time passed it started to lose it shine. The plot and characters turned into a joke with random power ups, last minute SILVER plot twist and even more. But let's not forget about all those forgotten characters that didn't even made it to the last chapter and their fate is unknown...

About the citizen Aizen that returned to the prison to serve his sentece hoping that he would be pardoned for good behavior after a millenium or so.

Or Yachiru and Zaraki that will never get to be explained.

Or Nel, Grimmjow, Tia, Yoruichi ,Urahara...

and all those loose ends that never are going to be tied up...

So once again let us mourn once great manga and be happy that it finally passed away so it's not going tarnish its good memory any more with what happened after Arrancar Arc... you had potention Quicy arc to be great...

So yeah my feelings on the matter...but don't worry I'm not going to drop my story like Kubo did with his!


	16. Memories&Secrets part III

Chapter 16

'Of course. It's never that easy.' Ichigo though dryly as another roar pierced the air.

The vortex was shrinking, losing its size. Yet something started to form from it, something sinister if the feeling it was giving off was any indication.

Ichigo felt Tia start to tremble a bit, so he instinctively tightened his hug.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of whatever it is." Ichigo said with a grim look.

The Arrancar nodded, feeling malicious intent coming from the vortex. Every negative emotion she ever felt was now concentrated in one place.

She dreaded to think what was being born from here. Suddenly, as if to answer her thought, a gigantic mass of black foam expelled from the vortex and reached to the sky. At the same time the mass started to shrink in size.

"Can you fly on your own?" Ichigo asked, and Tia nodded again. Ichigo carefully let her go, ready to catch her at a moment's notice.

When he was sure that she could fly, he bared his sword and flew up towards the disappearing vortex.

Tia looked after him, assaulted by a feeling of utter wrongness. She wanted to shout to him to come back and not to go anywhere near it, but her voice failed her as the feeling intensified multiple times over.

When Ichigo finally arrived the vortex was gone, only a mass of black foam bubbling from the sea.

Looking around he noticed that the previously flooded islands were now back to normal, and the abominations in the water were nowhere in sight.

"No way it's over..."

"GGRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" A massive power hit him.

"...yet." Ichgio face-palmed. "Kami what now?!" He soon got his answer when an enormous black hand shot out of the sea, trying to catch him. Ichigo jumped higher into the air and moved back to Tia's position.

When the creature emerged from the water, it looked like ocean itself was rising. It was simply humongous, dwarfing even the largest islands.

A true colossus.

'Well that puts Komamura's to shame…' Ichigo thought, feeling slightly overwhelmed by the size of the monster.

The water reached only to its waist line. The beast's body was black and irregularly shaped. It's upper part resembled a man's torso, only horribly deformed. The creature had four arms, with long sharp talons adorning each hand.

But the most disturbing sight was its face. The eyes were glowing with a sick green light. It seemed to be made from what looked like some kind of stone… or rather clay. It had no nose, and it's mouth was full of sharp teeth. Yet Ichigo did recognize the face.

"Kale." He growled, feeling his rage boil. He turned to the flabbergasted Tia, who was watching the monster with visible dread. "You know you have a really nasty mind." Ichigo stated, snapping her out of her daze.

"W-What?!" She exclaimed confused but offended.

"Yeah seriously, what the hell? Just look at that thing." He pointed a finger at the monster. "Couldn't it be something... I don't know less creepy?"

"Well excuse me if my inner despair is so ugly. Next time I will try to make it suit your tastes!" She snapped, genuinely pissed. Ichigo chuckled, aggravating her even more. "What's so funny?" Ichigo patted her shoulder with a disarming smile.

"I just prefer to see you angry more than afraid." He gave her a reassuring smirk. "Besides there won't be a next time... I won't allow you to feel despair anymore." He scowled looking back at the monster.

"Ban-kai." In record time Ichigo transformed, and slashed free from his power. Immediately after he ran his fingers over his face forming his mask. His gold and black eyes stared down at the monster with hate. While it wasn't real Kale the very fact that it wore his face made it's existence inexcusable.

He dashed toward the black monstrosity and released a powerful Getsuga. The black and red energy surged forward hitting the beast square in the face. The colossus was pushed back, swallowed by the darkness, with a gigantic explosion following. A mass of steam billowed into the air covering it's visage.

**"Hmph...that was easy."** He quickly swallowed his words when a large hand tore through of the steam in his direction. Ichigo avoided it narrowly, caught off-guard by it's speed.

**"Fast!"** Suddenly hundreds of tentacles emerged from the arm, wrapping around Ichigo's limbs.

**"Eat this... Hado no 70 Hyōga Seiran!"** A wave of ice froze all the tentacles, making them brittle. The monster roared again shaking the very ocean beneath it, creating enormous waves that washed over the islands again. **"It looks like it's time to bring out the big guns."** Ichigo stated and began to create a Cero, similar to that one that broke the roof of the underground facility. This time Ichigo knew what he was doing. He pushed more and more energy into the Cero, making it even more powerful. Finally content with sheer destructive power he pushed the ball into his sword. Zangetsu started to glow with crimson red glow.

**"Cero Getsuga!"** He released the strongest Getsuga he'd ever created. The recoil alone blasted him into the sky, so at least he had a great view at his attack.

The Cero Getsuga collided with the monster, and literally devoured it. The giant was pushed back a few miles by the blast, eradicating everything in its path. It finally fell back to the water and disappear beneath the surface.

Ichigo looked in awe at the power of his attack. Then he realized he just obliterated a part of Tia's mind.

'Ohhhh. I hope I didn't damage anything important...' Ichigo sweat dropped at the large hole in the archipelago.

"Ichigo!" Tia flew up next to him, looking for any injuries.

"Don't worry, I'm fine." As soon as the words left his mouth, he felt that the temperature drop a few degrees.

"Good, then mind explaining why you just blew up a piece of my mind?" She hissed

"Calm down, it wasn't that big of a piece. Your exaggerating." He tried to justify.

"Exaggerating? You eradicated at least a dozen islands!" She hissed, angrily pointing at the visible gap in archipelago.

"Okay... maybe I went little overboard, I'll admit. But look on the bright side, the monster is gone." He pulled off his mask. "Now everything will be f-" A massive Reiatsu hit them. "-ine"

They both turned to the source, seeing the beast emerge from the sea again without any visible injury. Ichigo's Cero Getsuga did little to no damage it seemed.

"WHAT! That was my strongest attack, and it's not even hurt!?" Ichigo choked out in disbelief.

The beast opened it mouth, and the duo braced themselves for another roar. Yet they were met with something far more terrifying… laughter.

**"HAHAHAHAHA! Do you really think you can defeat me? Intruder, you are noting here. This is my territory, my world. I AM GOD HERE YOU WORM!"** The beast advanced towards them, stirring the ocean itself.

Ichigo put his mask back on, and Tia released her sword.

Instantly she created an enormous Cascada, sending it at the monster. It pushed the beast back, stopping it's advance, but that was it.

**"FOOLS! I CANNOT BE STOPPED!"** The titan opened its mouth wide, and shot a mass of dirty gray water. From Ichigo and Tia's perspective it seemed the whole ocean was coming at them. What's worse the water was full of sea abominations. Tia pointed her sword at the mass of water.

"Hirviendo!" She boiled the water, instantly killing all of the abominations, dying with gruesome cries. She then took control of the water, and released another Cascada. This was countered by another tidal wace of gray water. Tia started to exchange the water attacks with the beast, and the battle quickly came to a standstill.

Ichigo tried to shift the balance, but his attacks were utterly ineffective, nothing more that minor annoyance.

**"Damn it!"** He growled. **"I can't even scratch that it!"** He sent several more high powered Getsugas, with similar effect. He noticed Tia started to slow, sweat sliding down her face. Still she kept her position firm, and repelled any attack fired at her.

Then, out of nowhere, another Cascada hit the giant in the back, making it stumble. Ichigo's head turned toward the direction of the attack, and he felt grin crept on his face

**"Tiburon!"** He shouted happily. **"It's high time you show yourself."**

**"Aww missed me, cutey?"** She said as she appeared next to him, and snuggled against his arm. **"You know, those eyes of yours are really turning me on."** Ichigo blushed a dark shade of red under his mask, but he managed to keep himself from squeeking. He wasn't sure if it was his Hollow influence. but he decided to play her game.

**"Only my eyes?"** He said in a low husky voice, making Tiburon lick her lips.

"Well there are some more... admirable qualities to you..." She pressed closer. "So how about little…"

"Are you two quite done flirting?!" Tia growled over the storm of clashing waves, sending yet another torrent the monster's way. "We still have a dark manifestation of my subconscious to defeat!"

**"Aww Tia you're such a killjoy, right Ichi-kuuun?"** Tia glared at him, daring him to say anything. Ichigo diplomatically remained silent, and quickly returned to the fray. **"Tsk, sooo whipped."** Tiburon rejoined the battle as well.

The fight turned in the trio's favor, and they started to slowly push the beast back. Simultaneous attacks from Tia and Tiburon started to show purchase. The giant's armor began to crack under their combined water.

**"ENOUGH!"** The giant roared, and did something that Tia, Tiburon, nor Ichigo would ever imagine in their wildest dreams.

It jumped.

Imagine seeing a behemoth, its size comparable to the largest skyscrapers, jumping into the air. The movement itself creating a massive super-tsunami wave from the jump point. An utterly devastating and horrifying sight. Now imagine floating near its landing zone.

Ichigo disintegrated his mask. "Tia..." He called her with a detached voice, and bizarrely tranquil expression on his face.

"Yes?" She replied with a matching look.

"Have I told you what a nasty mind you have?" If Tia hadn't been so shocked, she would've felt offended. Watching the coalescence of her fears and anxieties falling towards them at an alarming speed, would do this to you.

**"RUN!"** Tiburon yelled and grabbed them by shoulders, dragging them away. They began soaring madly through the air as fast as they could, but it was a futile effort.

The colossus hit the sea's surface like a meteor, creating the largest waves any of the three had ever saw. For a moment water blotted out the sky. Despite flying at full speed the waves quickly caught them.

**"Tia hold Ichigo!"** Tiburon yelled wrapping herself around Ichigo. Tia quickly did the same. In any other circumstance Ichigo could be considered very lucky, being hugged by two skimpily dressed hot twins, but the terror of the descending water overwrote that. He knew that he had the least chance to survive it.

How right he was.

When the wave hit them, it couldn't be compared to anything they'd ever felt. The strength, the pressure, it was simply unbelievable. It ripped them apart, effortlessly sending them in different directions.

"Ichigo!/**Ichigo!**" Tia and Tiburon yelled simultaneously, their voices lost amongst the bubbles. Water was their element, so neither had any problems in it. Ichigo, on the other hand, was an intruder. And despite the ability to breathe under water that he received from Tiburon, it was still incredibly dangerous for him.

They regained their balance among the thrashing water and shot towards Ichigo.

Meanwhile Ichigo was fighting uselessly against the current. No matter how strongly the tried to resist the flow he was at it's mercy. To make the matters worse he lost his sword at one point, ripped violently away by the rushing water.

'Why am I so powerless here!? It's like her mind isn't letting me help!' It was then Ichigo realized exactly why, he had finally found a way to defeat the giant.

How many times had his own inner darkness threatened to take him over when despair and doubt settled in? When he was on verge of mental collapse, weakened and beaten, all he needed was the resolve to push back. To come back from the brink and face it head on.

'Got.. to tell... Tia!' As he finished the thought something wrapped around him. He looked down, hoping it was the woman or women in question. He wasn't so lucky as black tentacles were slithering around him.

'Damn it!' Suddenly he was pulled in the giant's direction. Dragged along like a rag doll, his vision blurred, everything simply moved too fast.

After what seemed like an eternity, he was finally pulled from the water. Ichigo had opened his eyes, letting them adjust, and quickly regretted it. Now he was staring into a green bottomless pit, filled with nothing but hatred and fury.

Ichigo swallowed hard, dread consuming him. Not because of the monster, but because of the fact that such a thing existed within Tia. How she could let it consume her so much within her was a mystery to him.

He had his own darkness to struggle against to maintain control, but Tia?

For a moment the two just looked at each other, having a silent starting match. Ichigo broke eye contact first, unable to withstand the hatred in the creature eyes.

**"You are weak, Shinigami."** It rumbled.** "You simply don't have the power to protect her."**

"At least I'm not causing her pain!" Ichigo shouted back, struggling against his restraints.

**"SILENCE, WORM! I've been protecting her since her first moments in Hueco Mundo! When her mind was too weak to cope with the world, it was I who pushed us to survive! It was I who gave her power!"**

"Bullshit! It was Tiburon not YOU!" Ichigo snarled, his response only drew laughter from the giant.

**"HAHA! Tiburon is just a mere part of me! When I decided that Tia was strong enough to stand on her own feet, I created her to be a medium between us… But it seems that she has grown too independent."** Ichigo gasped in shock.

"No, it can't be… then why? Why was she so sad when you were protecting her?!" He yelled in confusion. "Why are you causing her so much misery?!"

"She wasn't miserable because I was protecting her! Her life have took everything from her! Her parents! Her uncle! And EVEN HER INNOCENCE!" The colossus roared. "I AM HER DARKNESS, AND I WILL PROTECT HER FROM EVERYTHING! EVEN YOU!"

"I don't want to hurt her! God damn it, all I want to..."

"LIES! NO ONE CARE ABOUT US! WE ARE ALONE!" The tentacles started to tighten. Ichigo screamed, feeling his ribs crack. Suddenly he felt a strong pull, like something was forcing him from this dimension.

'Tessai... He's trying to get me out!' Ichigo realized. 'Not yet…' He resisted drawing force, which was difficult in his pained state.

* * *

Outside World

Ururu wiped the sweat from Tessai's forehead. At some point both Ichigo and Tia started to emit massive amounts of Reiatsu, which only increased the difficulty of holding the spell.

"What the hell is happening in there?" Urahara asked with a serious expression. He had to create a barrier to hold Tia's Reiatsu so they wouldn't be compromised. "They're using so much power."

"I don't' know, but it looks like Ichigo is facing a serious problem." No sooner did the words leaved his mouth, when Ichigo started to trash violently.

"Jinta, Ururu, hold him down!" Urahara yelled, the kids pinning the teen down. Before they could grab it his right hand went to his chest, and grabbed at his shirt tightly near his heart. "Tessai get him out of there, he's going into cardiac arrest!"

"On it!" Tessai began muttering words, but suddenly went silent. "No good owner… he's resisting me."

"Then force him!" Urahara snapped.

"I can do it, but the chance of destroying his consciousness oscillates around 90%." He replied, to which Urahara went silent.

'Kurosaki-kun you better survive this, or your father will kill both of us.' He thought and looked at the pair with a stern face.

On the side lines Yoruichi was watching the scene, feeling her stomach sink. There was a reason such a spell was forbidden. Once in there there was nothing anyone could do to help the person inside.

"You are going to get it after you get out of there Ichigo..." Yoruichi bit her bottom lip.

* * *

Tia's Mind Scape

"GYAAA!" Ichigo screamed in pain as his ribs broke painfully. The creature continued to mercilessly tighten its hold. Despite not being able to have any facial expression it somehow leered at Ichigo's pain.

"Let him go!"

The monster turned his head to the side, and saw Tia and Tiburon flying at it. He turned his body so they could see the beaten Shinigami.

Tiburon charged forward, raising her sword high.

**"Ola A..."** The giant snapped it's hand out, and knocked her out of the sky like a fly. Tiburon crashed onto the nearest island, kicking up a gigantic burst of sand upon impact.

"Tiburon!" Tia turned to the giant and steeled herself. 'I can't lose, I have to protect them!'

**"Foolish girl. Stop fighting me, I'm not your enemy."** The beast told her.

"What are you talking about?" Tia narrowed her eyes. "You're hurting my friends!"

**"Tiburon is nothing but a mere part of you... and as for him…."** He growled.** "You have no friends. He's deceiving you."**

"You're delusional, Ichigo would never do that." Tia growled.

**"We both know that judging people's character was never your strong point… you're naïve."** Tia grit her teeth at the insult. But what was worse was that in some part he was right.

"Then why would he go to such lengths to help me? Why he is risking his life for me at his very moment!?" Tia glared at the colossus. The giant remained silent, looking at her with those glowing green pits. "No answer…then I'll enlighten you." She turned her gaze to Ichigo. "Because that's how he is. A fool who gives his all for his friends and family. I don't need to worry about despair with person like him around me."

Tia gave Ichigo such a kind and sweet smile, that despite being crushed to death, he smiled.

Her words acted like physical hit to the black giant. He literally cringed, wading back a humongous step.

"No…" Ichigo felt the tentacles loosen. This was his chance.

"TIA! IT'S YOUR MIND! THINK THAT YOU CAN DEFEAT HIM, AND HE WILL WEA-GYAAAA!" He yelled again as the tentacles constricted violently, putting pressure on his damaged ribs.

**"SHUT UP!"** The creature swung his arm, and threw Ichigo away with terrifying strength. The air pressure was so strong that Ichigo couldn't even take a breath. He passed Tia in a split of second, crashing into the same island as Tiburon.

"Ugh.." He coughed up blood, using the last ounce of his strength to chant a healing spell to deal with the worst wounds. 'Shit. I'm all spent.' Ichigo thought. Suddenly he found himself in a shadow. He lifted his eyes and saw a gigantic fist coming his way. 'After everything I've been through, and an emotion is going to kill me?' He tried to move, but his whole body felt heavy.

Just before the fist connected a yellow blur jumped in front of Ichigo, stopping his demise, or at the least delaying it. Tia grit her teeth, and pushed forth all her power to stop the monster from killing Ichigo.

**"You cannot stop me with the power I gave you!"** The beast increased the pressure. **"Not when I can take it from you."** To Tia's utter terror her blade started to crack and crumble, but she didn't give up. She would protect Ichigo, bare-handed if she needed to!

Easier said than done unfortunately. The monster was immensely powerful, and she was already weary from everything that had happened. But she would not give up. Not when the life of her... friend was on the line.

**"Give up! You cannot win!"** The colossus roared in fury.

Tia grit her teeth even harder, as the pressure increased. All her muscles screaming in pain.

**"You're nothing without me, nothing but a hurt, scared, lonely little girl!"**

Tia felt her power leaving her as she was assaulted by every negative emotion at once. The death of her parents, Hale's passing, Kale violating her, Aizen's betrayal, losing her Fraccion... everything hit her at once, chipping away her resolve.

'I-I can't!' Tia knew that she was about to break under the combined pressure of her emotions and the beast. She drew a shaky breath as her knees trembled, about to give in. 'I'm so sorry Ichigo. I'm sorry...' She squinted her eyes shut in despair when.

"You can do it Tia..." The Arrancar lady felt a warm hand on her back. "You can't give up." Ichigo spoke with utter conviction, even while crouching on the sand, his own body broken.

"He's too strong... I'm sorry..." She choked, ashamed of the tears coming out of her eyes.

"You're stronger! Don't let that thing or anyone else tell you otherwise. You can beat him Tia!" Ichigo wheezily urged her. "You have to have faith in yourself... I know I do."

Tia's eyes snapped open. She turned back just enough to see his bloody toothy smile, which projected nothing but pure faith in her.

Somehow, despite holding hundreds of thousands of tons in her hands, Tia suddenly felt lighter. All the doubt and darkness was gone, as she stared into those honest brown eyes.

'C..ll…m…na..e' Tia heard a sound, on a very edge of her hearing. She concentrated, focusing on the faint voice. "Call...my…name." Tia was confused, who was she supposed to call?

"What is your name?" She asked, not even sure why.

"My name is…"

Behind her Ichigo hoped that his words reached her. The situation was looking grim. Both he and Tiburon were out of the game, and Tia looked like she was about to collapse at any moment.

'Don't give up Tia, you can do it!'

At that very moment, as if she heard his thoughts, Tia shouted at top of her lungs.

"Utau! Ningyo!

For a few seconds nothing happened. Yet that was it, the giant stopped his attack and stood still, not daring to move. Then a faint yellow glow could be seen in the middle of his forehead. As soon as the light gained strength the colossus recoiled back, and howled in pain. His hands traveled to his forehead, as if they trying to stop something from coming out.

Tia had risen to her full height, standing perfectly rigid. She felt an unknown yet familiar power awaken within her. Taking a deep breath she shouted again

"UTAU! NINGYO!" The effect was immediate, the beast's forehead exploded. A spear of light flew out of it, and rocketed at blazing speeds to Tia. When it looked like it was about to pierce her, it stopped and turned so it faced Tia horizontally. She looked at it for a moment, and then hesitantly reached for it.

As soon as her hand came in contact with it, the spear stopped glowing, revealing Tia's Zanpakutō.

It was a naginata, about two meters and twenty centimeters long. The handle was about one hundred and eighty cm long, and the blade about forty cm. The handle was colored in sea blue color. The blade itself had a silver tint, and it was twenty cm wide. Five circular holes were placed along the blade, which also had a three sharp curves on the blunt side.

Tia looked at the weapon with an unreadable expression. For a few seconds she was just staring at it, not moving a muscle. But soon a faint smile blossomed on her face.

'I finally feel... complete.' She thought, and looked up at the at the monster. "It's time to finish this." She jumped into the air, and flew over to monsters head. The middle of its forehead now had a gaping hole. Rivers of dirty gray water, and dead sea abominations spilled out of it. The giant looked at her with something akin to fear.

"You see this?" She showed him her naginata. "I am not nothing, this is MY power not yours!" She raised her hands over her head, and started spinning the naginata in a windmill fashion. The weapon emitted a low whistling sound as it gained speed.

**"NO! STOP!"** The monster howled. **"YOU CAN'T DO THIS!"**

"I can, and I will… Ningyo no nageki." She whispered, and released a powerful sound wave. With the screech of a Banshee from the weapon, she dashed towards the colossus. The beast roared when the sound wave hit him, yet he was powerless to do anything about it. Every fiber of it's being was assaulted by sound vibrations. The beast black body started to crack and crumble. Trembling as the vicious noise tore it apart.

**"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"** The giant screamed, before shattering like glass, sending black shards in every direction. It collapsed into the ocean, tainting the water with it's ooze. It quickly dissolved away, leaving nothing but an azure clean sea. The storm cleared and rays of light began filling the landscape around Tia.

Tia watched the bubbling water, waiting for any more tricks from the beast, but none came. Judging that the battle was over, Tia headed back to Ichigo and Tiburon.

While Tia was fighting the colossus Tiburon regained consciousness, and crawled to Ichigo.

**"Hey stud, mind telling me what the hell is going on?"** She looked down at him with a smile.

The darkness was gone.

"Apparently Tia has awakened her Shinigami powers, and kicked the crap out of that thing." He said in a deadpan voice. "You know, seeing someone beat something you barely could scratch can really make you self-conscious." He sniffed.

"Now now, I sure she'll treat you well." Tiburon grinned, yet her mood was far from happy. If Tia had awakened her Shinigami power, wouldn't that mean that Tiburon was now useless? She furrowed her eyebrows. 'I hope that's not the case.' She bit her lip.

The duo waited for Tia to join them. She floated to them, and landed softy on the sand. She looked at them offering them a small, tired, but really happy smile

"Hey you."

"Hey yourself/** Hey yourself.**" They replied simultaneously. Tia took in their battered forms, her smile not leaving her face.

"You both look like you've had a rough day."

Ichigo rolled his eyes.

"No shit. Now I want nothing more than to get home and sleep for a week." He chuckled, feeling the tension finally leave him now that they wo-

_"You're leaving already? How rude! I just woke up!_" A voice boomed behind them. Ichigo and Tiburon heads snapped back with loud crack. Tiburon was slack-jawed, and Ichigo was now spraying vast amounts of blood out his nose at the sight before them.

Behind them stood an incredibly beautiful woman. She was slightly shorter than Tia, yet as well-endowed as her. Her skin had lighter color than Tia too. Her face was a nice round shape, with full lips and cerulean blue eyes. Her hair was snow white, and reached down to her waist line. But the most noticeable thing about her was her outfit. She wore a bra made of seashells, which was so small it barely covered her nipples. Her skirt was made of seaweed, and Ichigo could swear it was even shorter than Tiburon's.

"W-Who are you?" Ichigo shuttered

_"My name is Ningyo, handsome..."_ She knelt down and took Ichigo face in her hands, before kissing him upside down.

"Mphmm! Mmm!" Ichigo protested weakly, despite himself enjoying the kiss. 'A little salty.' He thought off handily, as Ningyo deepened the kiss.

"Ningyo let Ichigo go!" Tia ordered frostily, not keen that another woman was kissing Ichigo.

_"But he enjoys it, right Ichi-kun?"_ She asked sweetly.

Ichigo could only snap his eyes shut, blushing like a maiden.

_"Right?"_ Ningyo managed to sound teary, forcing Ichigo to answer her.

'It.. wasn't bad?" He offered, much to Tia's Zanpakuto's delight.

Tia's eyes began to twitch dangerously.

"Ichigo…" Tia growled. Self-preservation kicked in, and Ichigo shuffled away from Ningyo.

**"Me next!"** Tiburon smirked, crawling towards Ichigo with a seductive look in her eyes.

"Don't you even dare..." Tia snapped.

**"Awww, just a little one? Please?"** Tiburon pleaded with a pout.

"No." Came Tia's stern reply.

**"Bitch."** Tiburon mumbled.

"What was that?"

**"Nothing Ti-chan, love you!"** She replied in fake sweetness.

_"Now now girls, you're making a scene. I'm sure that Ichi-kun would be okay with another kiss."_ Both Tia and Tiburon felt slightly abashed, turning their attention to Ichigo. They were mildly surprised by the stern look on his face.

"Ichigo what's wrong?" Tia asked with concern.

"Look." He nodded to the shore line. The trio turned and froze. They saw a limping figure coming out of the sea. When it finally came closer all of them gasped. The figure looked like Tia, except it was all bleached. She was dressed in some torn rags, that barely covered her body at all. A ripped white shirt, and green cotton skirt were loosely hanging off her body. The figure finally exited the water, and promptly fell on all fours on the soft sand. A tense silence fell over the group. For a few moments no one dared to move.

The first one to break the quiet was Ichigo. He sat up with grunt, and managed to stand with a wobble. He moved over to the newcomer, and the rest followed hesitantly. When Ichigo finally stood in front of bleached Tia, she lifted her head. Ichigo immediately noticed her unique eyes. The sclera had turned blue, while her teal irises got an even more intensive shade.

She looked at him with a scowl, her face twisting in powerless hatred.

**"So you came to finish me off?"** She spat.

"Could you answer a question?" He asked, glaring at the black and white version of Tia.

**"Tsk, ask if you must."** She replied breaking eye-contact.

"Why?"

**"Why what!?"**

"Why did you tried to drag her down into that vortex, and stop her from awakening her Shinigami powers?" He clarified.

**"To protect her."** She replied quietly.

"I've heard that already, what I want is the truth." He demanded with a frown.

**"IT IS THE TRUTH!"** She yelled at top of her lungs. **"I wanted to protect her from everyone, even herself!"** Ichigo's eyes widened. The girls behind him gasped in shock.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?!" White Tia grinned, her eyes glittering with determination.

"It means that I wanted to save her from her feelings." She looked directly at Tia, piercing her with those blue and green eyes. "To spare her from another bad descision that would end in pain of loss and betrayal… but that damn Hōgyoku ruined everything! When it turned her into an Arrancar she began to fell more… I started to lose control over her…" She looked at Ichigo with pure and undiluted concept. It stung him more than it should have. To have a person that looks like Tia glare at him that way. "And then you came in, and blasted what little hold on her I had left… making her remember…" She lowered her head. "I couldn't repress her memories any longer…"

"Who are you?" Tia whispered. Her white counterpart chuckled.

**"I am your darkness. Your anger, sadness, grief, fear… hate. I am your despair."** She grinned at Tia.** "I am you.**"

"No…" Tia felt her legs turn to jelly. To think such a creature could be a part of her.

"Then why did you take that hideous form?" Ichigo pressed on.

**"Despair isn't pretty… it's like a dirt that covers your soul… and you probably noticed whose face I was wearing…"** Tia cringed at the mention of that person. **"I took it all on myself. I just wanted to spare you those horrifying memories again."** She looked at Ichigo. **"You did this! She's suffering because of you!"**

"I didn't mean…" He began feeling uneasy under her burning gaze.

**"What? Hurt her? Just like the tsunami didn't mean to kill her parents, just like the rebels didn't mean to kill Uncle, just like Kale didn't mean to rape me… her. Oh wait the two last meant it!"** She snapped with watering eyes.** "You never mean to harm us, yet we are the ones who suffer! Tia don't trust him, he will hurt you in the end, please believe me!"** She begged desperately. **"I know that you might resent me, but I did all this for you!"**

"No. Ichigo isn't like that." Tia replied instantly, making Ichigo smile. "He's different."

**"Really? He can't even properly answer your feelings, keeping you anxious all the time!"** Ichigo mouth fell agape. He glanced quickly at Tia seeing that that comment struck a nerve. Tia gave him a hesitant look, not sure how to respond. **"What no answer? See now? He's just like everyone else, just hurting us."** Ichigo took deep breath moved towards her.

When White Tia saw his movement, she started to crawl backward. **"NO! Stay back! Don't come any closer!"** She exclaimed, throwing sand at him in some pathetic form of defence.

Right now White Tia wasn't a personification of anger, hate, and fierce maliciousness. Right now she was just a broken young woman, previously exposed to horrors no person should be. Tormented by her life beyond belief.

**"Someone please."** She whimpered as Ichigo towered over here. **"Please…"** She wrapped her arms around herself and started to rock back and forth, squeezing her eyes shut tight. Not tight enough to hold her tears however.

Tia was very anxious now. She really didn't know what to expect or how to handle this situation. One part of her told her to jump in front of her white counterpart and shield her, but the other, larger part one told her to trust Ichigo.

'I must have faith in him.' She noticed that the other parts of her soul had the same look of indecisiveness on their faces. Anxiousness mixed with trust. She turned her eyes back to the scene in front of her.

White Tia knew absolutely this was the end of her. She was beaten and powerless, so much that even an intruder could eradicate her. She was going to die, alone and scarred, with no part of her self wanting anything to do with her.

She choked out a quiet sob when she felt that the man close the gap between them. Undoubtedly to deliver the final strike.

But what she didn't predict was a pair of strong arms wrapping around her, pulling her into a tight embrace. Her eyes snapped open in shock as her head was gently pushed against Ichigo's chest.** "What the hell are you doing!?"** She screamed, feeling anger rise in her once again. Was this brat mocking her?

"Hugging you." Ichigo replied simply.

**"I know that! Just what the hell are you trying to pull?!"** She yelled, trying to struggle away, yet Ichigo was holding her tightly.

"Nothing. I just want to hug you." He smirked. White Tia wide eyed stared at him flabbergasted.

**"Let go!"** She demanded

"No."

**"Damn you! I told you to let me go!"** She thrashed in his arms violently.** "Don't you dare to act like you care!"**

"I don't need to act." He told her softly.

**"Lies! You don't care about me! You're just want my body!"** She unknowingly started to refer to herself instead of Tia. Ichigo blushed beef red, but managed to compose himself. This matter was far to important for him to be hindered by his shyness.

"Tia... I'm so sorry for everything that has happened to you." Ichigo told her sincerely, feeling his eyes water. "You didn't deserve any of that to happen to you. I know that my words don't mean much, but I want you to know that I care about you, and I would never hurt you. No matter what." He swallowed feeling his throat tighten, as the tears reappeared in White Tia's eyes.

**"You don't really mean that."** She mumbled, pushing her face into his chest and rubbing it against him, wiping away her tears.

**"I do."** He whispered. **"Every single word."**

**"How can you? You don't even love me."**

"I've never been in love before, Tia..." Ichigo closed his eyes. "… at least outside of my family. But no matter what, I will always be there for you, nothing will change that."

**"Of course that's all I'm going to get from you. You indecisice bastard."** She said softly, no malice behind her words. She sighed against him as she started to glow. Ichigo noticed the glow and pulled away from her a bit, to look her over.

"What's going on? Are you ok?!" Ichigo asked worriedly. His concern grew as small particles started to separate from her.

She was slowly becoming transparent.

**"More than I have been in a very long time."** She smiled looking up into Ichigo's face. She lifted herself up and gave him a soft gentle kiss. His eyes widened, but he didn't push her back. After a few seconds White Tia broke the kiss, giving him thankful but tepid smile.

**"I'll go now… Tiburon."** She gained the attention of the Tia's Inner Hollow.

**"Yes?"** She replied coming closer.

**"I'm going to merge with you, but this time I'll be a part of you, instead of the other way around. I'm leaving things in your hands."** White Tia told her smiling slightly more. **"Please use my power wisely… and only in the time of absolute need…"** She looked at Ichigo. **"Farewell Kurosaki Ichigo… and thank you, but know I expect you to keep your word.**" With that White Tia faded away, a genuine smile gracing her face. Her particles flowed into Tiburon, who glowed with White Tia's light for a brief moment.

A heavy silence followed her departure. Ichigo couldn't hold it anymore, and let his tears slide down his face. He rubbed his eyes furiously, slightly embarrassed that he was crying in front of Tia and others. But he just could not stop himself.

Even if White Tia was made of negative emotions she deserved some happiness too. What's more he felt that he had failed her in his own right. He couldn't give her the answer she so desperately sought and fought against to protect from. He was a coward when it came to love and romance, but not coward enough he to lie to the part of Tia that needed it the most. Even if every fiber of his being wanted to comfort her in her final moments, he couldn't.

So why? Why did it hurt so much? That reserved smile of hers,the desperate need in her eyes, her final words. Why couldn't he give her the sweet comforting lie? His chest constricted, his stomach knotted, and his tears scalded his cheeks.

"Ichigo." Tia moved to him and knelt next to him, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder. He looked back to her, with his eyes red from crying. "Do not grieve, this wasn't a sad thing."

"But.." He tried to argue.

"She had found peace. As she told you, she just became a part of Tiburon. As such she is a part of Ningyo and myself as well. She will live on inside of us. She's not alone anymore."

Then in one swift motion, which surprised Ichigo, she embraced him.

"But thank you for crying for her... for not lying to her." Tia told him, her voice laced with emotion.

"I'm sorry Tia, I'm weak." He mumbled choking out sobs, as he desperately returned the hug. "I.. I should leave. I'm sure you have things you need to think on." Pulling away from Tia, he stood up, and wiped his wet face with his sleeve. A solemn smile appeared on his face. "As nice as all you are... heh, you have a dirty mind." He joked weakly, making girls giggle and smile. Tia stood up giving Ichigo a nod of understanding. He concentrated on leaving, just like he did when he did in his mind scape, and felt a sudden pull.

Like White Tia he became transparent and slowly disappeared.

"Tiburon, it was good to see you again, and Ningyo I'm glad that I got to meet you." He smiled as charmingly as he could, making them blush.

Suddenly something clicked in Tiburon's head, and her eyes shot open in horror.

**"HEY! I'm the only one who hasn't got a kiss!"** She ran at Ichigo and tried to kiss him, but she just went through him and fell onto the sand.

"Sorry Tiburon, maybe next time." He chuckled softly then faded away.

"God damn it! It's all your fault Tia!" She snapped. Tia and Ningyo just stared at her.

**"What are you looking at?"**

"Tiburon you're... changing." Ningyo told her.

**"What the…"** She ran to the water to see her reflection. **"… hell."**

* * *

Outside World

Tessai slowly retreated his hands from both unconscious foreheads. He sighed deeply, feeling tired.

"It's over..." He announced. Jinta and Ururu stopped pinning Ichigo down, looking at him carefully.

"Is he ok, Tessai?" Yoruichi asked, her tried patience wearing very thin.

"I believe so." The dark skinned man replied, wiping the sweat from his brow.

"But did he succeeded?" Urahara asked, waving Tessai with his fan.

"We will know in a moment." They looked to the stirring form of Ichigo. He started to wake up, groaning in pain. His hands immediately went to his temples, one hell of a headache present.

"Ouch… I feel like I just fought Zaraki." He stated making the occupants of the room chuckle.

"It's a side effect of the spell. It causes a strong migraine to the user. I'll bring you some aspirin, Ichigo-dono. Jinta, Ururu, come with me." Tessai and the kids left the room.

"I would hit you now for being such a moron, but it looked like you've been through enough already." Yoruichi told him, as she sat on the chair Tessai vacated. "But right now I'm glad that you're okay."

"So how was it?" The hatted man asked. The only reply was a haunted look in Ichigo eyes. "That bad, huh?"

"You couldn't even image… it's really a wonder that she didn't go insane with all that she went through." He whispered. "I don't know if I could survive what she managed to love through… she's incredibly strong." Ichigo sighed, looking at unconscious Tia sympathetically.

"I see. So I take it you won't tell me what exactly happened there?" Urahara asked with a slight whine. Yoruichi frowned too. She didn't like when he was keeping secrets from her.

"No. It's private, and something only she should be able to tell." Ichigo replied, not taking eyes from Tia. "When will she wake up?"

"I don't know, but it should be soon." They fell into a strained silence waiting for Arrancar woman to wake up.

"Urahara-san?" Ichigo suddenly asked.

"Yes?"

"I have a question for you." The shop owner rose an eyebrow.

"And what is that?" Ichigo looked at him seriously.

"What is "The Gate"?" Urahara made a classic gold fish expression, looking wide-eyed at Ichigo.

"Ara, I think that I must have misheard you. How could possibly you know about that?!" He exclaimed. "Oh. I get it, Tessai told you…"

"No, he didn't… I have my own ways of getting information." Ichigo grinned, neglecting to mention how very accidental his way was.

Yoruichi seemed to agree, as she snorted while giving him an amused look.

"I'm keeping tabs on you." He lied through his teeth.

"Oh yeah? What was I doing yesterday?" Urahara asked slyly.

"Being a lazy ass like you are most of your time." Ichigo guessed wildly. Imagine his surprise when Urahara choked.

"How the hell… Oh my Kurosaki-kun, you really have grown ahahaha." He laughed awkwardly.

"Ok, back to the topic at hand please." Ichigo said. "What is the "Gate"?"

"I cannot tell you that. It's a secret only a few know, and will stay that way." Urahara sighed, the joviality leaving him.

"I have to know if these Ancients are threat!" He exclaimed angrily.

"Ichigo. It's obvious that you heard our conversation from the other day somehow. The problem has been fixed, so you won't have to worry about them in the near future."

"But what about that other thing? I mean those guys in two years? Who are they?" Urahara sighed again.

"I can't..."

"Then what can you tell me?! Stop treating me like a kid! I have to know if my family and friends are in danger!" Ichigo yelled.

"That's enough Kurosaki!" Urahara raised his voice, narrowing his eyes. "I told you that I can't tell you anything. So stop asking!" A tense silence fell between two.

"Ok... there's to much testosterone in the room." Yoruichi broke in. She had rarely seen Urahara get so agitated. "No need to bite your head's off."

"Yoruichi-dono is right." Tessai said entering the room with medicine and water, which he handed to Ichigo. "You have to understand Ichigo-dono, we cannot share some information at will."

"Right." He huffed, crossing his arms. Reminding them that he wasn't quite an adult yet.

"Are you pouting?" Yoruichi asked mirthfully, stiffing a giggle.

"I am not!" Ichigo snapped, back totally not pouting. Before things escalated into a full blown "Let's make fun of Ichi-boo" session, Tia decided to come back to the world of living.

"W-where am I?" Tia asked drowsily.

"You're safe, we're in Urahara's shop." Ichigo told her gently. "Are you alright?"

"Yes… I think I am…" She smiled faintly at him, but he could easily spot the strain on her face. Her eyes told a different story. Like she was on teetering on the verge of a breakdown.

"O-Ok. How about we get you back home and into bed?" Ichigo pushed himself off his table and offered his help to Tia. Taking his hand, she carefully slipped off the table, and slowly the duo moved towards the doors.

"Ichigo." Urahara spoke up, stopping them. "I know that you are angry at me for not telling you anything, but know that I made a promise to… a certain person to keep silent. And I intend to keep that promise. But you can ask that man for the answers." He smiled slyly, waving his fan in front of his face.

"Thanks old man." Ichigo grinned, his previous anger vanishing. "See ya around everyone. And thanks for everything." With that the two left the room to get their bodies, and head home.

"So what do you think happened inside her head?" Yoruichi asked, brimming with curiosity.

"I'm not certain, but as I was the bridge between the two, I can say it was... horrible." Tessai chose the last word carefully. "I could feel emotions like a torrential storm, and hardly any were pleasant."

"Ichigo-san seemed to have see something he wished he did not, if his expression was anything to go by." Urahara hummed. "Makes me wonder what Halibel-san had in her head."

"A traumatic memory? She seemed to call that name Hale a few times. Maybe that person was someone close to her who died?" Yoruichi speculated.

"Not strong enough." Tessai stated with a frown. "The sheer volition of the negative emotions was far beyond a relative's death. I did my fair share of mind-links, but rarely have I gotten a reading like that."

"Then I guess we'll have to ask Tia about it." Urahara stretched, yawning. "I'm going to take a nap. This whole ordeal has exhausted me."

"Lazy bum." Yoruichi muttered.

* * *

It was already dark, but this was good, since there weren't many people on the streets. Crowds were last thing Tia needed right now.

They walked in silence, both dwelling on what had transpired. Ichigo looked from time to time to Tia. He noticed she was barely holding it together. In a heat of battle you could focus. After things calmed down, that was when the struggle began.

Everything hit her anew with an intensity like it was happening right now. When they reached their home, Ichigo broke their long silence before they headed inside.

"Would you like to be alone?" He asked tenderly.

"Yes..." She hung her head, and opened the front door. Quietly she moved upstairs, but was stopped when Ichigo took her hands and gently squeezed them in his own.

"I'm here for you if you need me." He said simply.

"I know."

He let her go, and watched as she disappeared upstairs. He sighed heavily and moved to the living room, quickly collapsing on the sofa.

"What's wrong Dad? No dropkick greeting?" He uttered tiredly, looking at his father sitting in the nearby armchair.

"I got the call from Urahara." Isshin said curtly. "And before you ask, no I won't tell you about the Gate."

"Figured, and I'm just too tired to argue with you. Could you at least tell me why?" Isshin leaned back, and sank into the armchair. He rubbed his temples, and looked much older all of a sudden.

"That involves some really old wars, and even older grudges. Something that the younger generations shouldn't be involved with. It's just some very old mistakes and sins." He looked at Ichigo with tired eyes. "I'm keeping it from you, because I want to protect you from the past. It's not your burden to carry… you'are young and you should enjoy life as much as you can... while you still can."

"What's gonna happen in two years?" Ichigo couldn't stop himself.

"I promise that I will tell you when the time is right. Maybe we can manage to stop it from happening. You know what, let's make a deal. If we don't manage to handle it in say a year, I'll let you in on it?" Ichigo nodded. "Until then train and get stronger… oh and get young Ishida to work on his power too."

"Why?" Ichigo asked, not understanding the correlation.

"Well... aside from having a powerful ally, you should adapt at fighting with differed kind of opponents aside from Hollows and Shinigami." Isshin smiled, making Ichigo feel like he missed something important.

"I guess you're right..." He closed his eyes.

"So mind filling me in on what had happened today?" Isshin asked

Ichigo opened one eye, looking at his Father. He had a face like an excited child, but the young Kurosaki ignored it. Despite his antics his father was a very wise man.

But that would never be said aloud... never.

"Normally I wouldn't ever tell anything so personal, and I'd really like to throw your excuse back in your face, but..." Ichigo sighed, making the smile drop from Isshin's face. "... I don't know how to help her, and I need advise."

Ichigo took a deep breath and began summarizing the events of the day. Isshin gave him a disapproving look when he told him how he got into Tia's mind, but his Father understood why he did so. He would do the same for a friend. Ichigo continued his story up to the point where Tia was left with Kale. He found himself struggling with every word.

"And he… he..." He curled his hand into fists, clenching his teeth. Isshin sat next to his Son, and put a hand on his shoulder.

"What did he do?" Isshin asked, but his gut was telling him that it wasn't anything pleasant.

"He raped her… right before my eyes." Ichigo spat out, his eyes watering up. His Father looked at him with a baffled expression.

"What?"

"Yes… he raped her… and I couldn't do anything… I could only watch." Isshin wrapped his arms around Ichigo's shoulders, and pulled him into a hug. "Every detail is burned into my head. I heard her every cry and plea. She begged him to stop and he laughed in her face." Ichigo trembled in anger and grief. "And I could only watch and cry... just like when Mom was killed. What is all my goddamn power worth if I can't help those important to me?"

"Ichigo it wasn't your fault…" Isshin began, but his word fell on deaf ears.

"But the worst part... the worst was the dead look in her eyes. Like she died in that moment. She only managed to stand because she was afraid for her sister. Because that son of a bitch threatened to kill her sister." Ichigo ran his hand through his hair. "Again I had to watch a person I care for suffer… Dad?" He asked suddenly.

"Yes?"

"I know we already talked about it, but I want your honest answer now. When mom died... did you hate me for it?" Ichigo looked straight into his Father's eyes. Isshin closed his eyes for a moment and sighed.

"I... did..." Ichigo nodded, understanding perfectly. "… for a full second, and I'm ashamed for it to this very day." He smiled sadly at him. "Masaki would never forgive me for it… I will never forgive myself for it."

"Dad you don't have to..."

"I do, trust me. When you have your own children you will understand. Now tell me what happened next." Ichigo nodded and finished the story. He told him how Tia died, how he took her out of the vortex, the fight with giant, and the conversation with Tia's despair. After hearing the rest Isshin fell silent, processing all the information.

"So basically she awakened her Zanpakuto?" Isshin asked, stroking his bread.

"Yeah, she did, and now she possess both a Resureccion and a Zanpakuto." He confirmed.

"You caught quite the unique fish in your net, son." His father told him. "You want some advise, right?"

"Please." Ichigo stated, hoping his Father could tell him something useful.

"First is how to act around Tia. Do not make her feel like something has changed between the two of you." He silenced Ichigo's protest by raising his hand. "Give her comfort in the present, and all the normalcy you can. If she sees you treating her differently because of what happened, she will return to her dark thoughts. But at the same time be more perceptive around her. If she needs silence give her it. If she needs solitude give her her space. If she needs companionship, be there for her but do not force anything."

"She needs to deals with things at her own pace." Isshin hummed, deciding to ask for some tips from his psychologist at work tomorrow. "Make her feel needed and not expendable, and we'll have to subtly get Yuzu and Karin to spend more time with her. She'll feel safer around kids and girls at that." Ichigo made a face. "It's not your fault, but right now male company, even if that person is close, is not needed. She will come to you seeking security, but right now she needs more child's innocence. I'm not a psychologist, but I think that that's probably the best course."

"So do I have to stay away or be close?" Ichigo asked slightly confused.

"Be what she needs at the time. That's the best way I can explain it, but you're good at following your heart more often than brain, so you'll manage!" Isshin gave him a pat on the back.

"Oj!"

"Now the second piece of advice. If you ever decide that you are in love with Yoruichi, Inoue, or Rukia-" Ichigo looked at his Father with wide eyes scared eyes.

"Wait Rukia likes me too?!" Ichigo interjected.

'Crap.' Isshin thought. "Nuuuoooh... I meant you spend a lot of time with her, so I thought that you liked her?" Isshin tired to salvage it, but the suspicious look on Ichigo's face told him that he failed.

"Go on..."

"If it's not Tia, or at least not for real, do not be with her out of pity. Your feelings for her must be sincere. She does not need another relationship devoid of love. She will survive rejection, but I doubt that she will live through another heartbreak."

"Why is my life is so complicated?"

"Some would kill to have so many stunning ladies after them." Isshin chuckled good-naturally. "But life is never easy, Son. Anyways it past one AM, and you have school tomorrow, so get to bed and get some sleep." Isshin stood.

"I guess I'll just crash on the couch tonight. She said she needs some space right now." He stretched out on the couch, in more comfortable position.

"You're finally learning how to treat a lady. I'm so proud of you." Isshing grinned. "I'll bring you a blanket and pillow."

"Thanks Dad."

"Night Son."

* * *

A/N

And we're done with this mini arc! That was a rollercoaster of emotions guys! Thanks for reading and drop a review!

Dictionary:

Utau! Ningyo! - Sing! Mermaid!

Ningyo no nageki - Mermaid's Lament/Wail


	17. It's complicated

Chapter 17

The sun was slowly rising, illuminating the still sleeping Karakura Town. Faint rays of light lazily spread throughout the whole city, indicating the start of a beautiful day.

Tia stirred in her bed, trying to change the position so the sun wouldn't be shining directly in her face. Her struggle proved to be pointless considering the bed was right next to the window. Feeling that she could no longer sleep Tia rose, instantly feeling something, or rather someone, was missing.

She felt a pang of guilt when she realized that she has fallen asleep at some point, still dressed in her clothes. Ichigo most likely slept on the couch downstairs.

At the thought of orange haired Shinigami her stomach twisted, tying itself into a knot. Be it deity or simply exhaustion she was granted a dreamless sleep, but the moment she woke up everything came back to her.

Every. Single. Detail.

She sat on the bed, wrapping her arms around her knees, and trying to control the painful feelings. Yes she had conquered her darkness, but with it came the recollection of her past in all it's intensity. As if it all happened yesterday.

All the bad, and the precious few good came back to her. She was now complicated for better or worse. No longer would she be plagued with the doubt about her previous life, or dreams with only scraps of memories.

She was Tia Halibel. Daughter of James Smith and Mano Halibel, and surrogate sister of Pua Halibel.

A rape victim.

As an ugly black smudge that covered her very soul. She could not stop thinking about it. Not about the act itself though. No it happened over a century ago, and yes it was a horrible memory that she would have to make peace with, but Tia would be able to deal with it later.

What concerned her the most was that he saw... that Ichigo had seen every moment of it. A wave of shame washed over her as she imagine his reaction to her less than pleasant state. Nudity aside, for someone so young to witness something like that.

It must have been a shattering experience for both him, and his image of her. Tia was painfully aware that he would never look at her the same.

This humiliation would put a wedge between them for the rest of their life's, or at least for as long as they would know each other. Tia's heart ached painfully knowing this tender blossoming feeling in her chest, which she was finally able to name, was crushed beneath it.

Because how could Ichigo possibly would want a woman like that, especially when he was surrounded by so many amazing and... unburdened other candidates? Untainted by the past, perfect for his first relationship which could flourish without anything holding it back.

Her arms tightened around her knees as she felt a tired sigh escaped her mouth. No matter where she went she encountered massive amounts of hardships. Some, like this one, crippling.

It would take a while, and most likely require a massive amount of self-control, but Tia would probably be able to hide away her feelings for Ichigo.

After all friendship isn't so bad? Right?

A knock interrupted her depressing voyage into "let's be friends" territory.

"C-Come in." She did not realize how hoarse her voice was from all the crying the night before. Much to her surprise, instead of Ichigo, Isshin came through the door, carrying two cups of steaming coffee.

"Good morning." He said handing her one cup, which she gratefully accepted. He took a seat at Ichigo's desk, and took a gulp of his own brew.

"Thank you." Tia mumbled, taking a sip of the hot liquid.

"You're welcome." He replied. Isshin felt a stab of pain when he looked at Tia. While she always tried to maintain that aura of seriousness and reliability, right now she was just a lost young woman. Unsure of what to do next.

"Tia, I cannot even stress how much I wish that what happened to you never occurred." Isshin began after few seconds in silence. "However wishing won't make it go away... but I want you to know that you have a family that is 100% percent behind you, whether they know about it or not." Isshin offered her a small smile on behalf of Yuzu and Karin.

"You haven't lost anything in our, mine, and Ichigo's eyes. You are an amazing person and don't ever think otherwise. That 's all I wanted to say." Isshin stood up, giving her a fatherly smile. "If you ever want to talk about anything, my door is always open to you. And I'll always find time for you, even if I'm operating on an open heart." He turned and was about to leave when he heard the bed creak.

He got about half turned when suddenly another body collided with his, locking him in a tight hug. His eyes widened in surprise in this unprecedented show of affection from the blonde woman. He put the mug down and wrapped his arms around her giving her a proper hug.

He heard a quiet sniffle coming from her as she buried her face in his chest. He tightened her hug gently massaging her back.

After a minuted or so Tia broke the hug, visibly embarrassed by her own actions. Her cheeks darkened as she realized what she had done.

"I'm sorry I shouldn't-"

Isshin smiled putting his hands on her shoulders.

"You have nothing to apologize for. You did nothing wrong. If fact you did a very good thing." His smile widened at her confusion. "Don't be afraid to show your feelings little bit more, Tia-chan."

With that Isshin grabbed his cup and left the room. A still confused Tia left behind. Yet the Arrancar lady had to admit that this little episode made her feel much better.

Tia left the room and went downstairs to wake Ichigo up, since it was a school day after all. Predictably she found him sprawled out on the sofa, wrapped in a blanket.

Squashing the supposedly irrational fear inside her, she gently shook him. Ichigo eyes opened slowly as he stretched, popping back his joints into their proper places.

When his eyes finally focused they quickly widened. Tia could easily see that he did everything he could to not jump out of his skin, and act casual.

"Oh, hey Tia. Beautiful morning, isn't it? Man I slept like a log! This couch is really actually pretty comfortable!" And doing a very horrible job at it as he rambled on.

"I think that we should eat something, and get ready. We have school today." Tia interrupted him.

"Oh yeah sure, that sounds great." Ichigo said, rubbing his neck.

"Go wash yourself. I'll make some breakfast." She told him heading to the kitchen. She found Isshin there reading a news paper, and offered to make him breakfast too, which he gratefully accepted.

She went for some simple scrambled eggs, and a cup of coffee for Ichigo. When the boy returned his serving was already waiting for him. Isshin and Tia were engaged in a conversation about taxes, or rather was forced to listen the older man crying about being robbed in plain as day.

Ichigo took his usual seat near Tia and began wolfing down the meal, just now realizing how hungry he was.

"Well well, looks like Tia-chan's cooking skills have improved." Isshin remarked, giving Ichigo something of a normal look.

"Yeah. I remember the first meal she made." He chuckled. "Never thought chicken could taste like coal."

"I bet a meal made by you would instantly be a hit." Tia remarked, sipping her coffee.

"For me, most probably." Isshin cut in before Ichigo could reply. "I would get so many patients with food poisoning."

"I know how to cook!" Ichigo protested.

"Making cereal is not cooking." Tia deadpanned.

"She has you there son!" Isshin bellowed with a smirk. The trio bantered for a while, until the head of the family kicked them off to school.

* * *

Soul Society, Kido Squad Headquarters.

The building was now constantly bustling with activity since the division reformed. Shinigami once again filled the black and white corridors. Everyone was working hard for the common good of the division. Each corridor was filled with its members, carrying books, or scrolls, or more practical goods. Each and every one of them was dedicated to giving his or her best!

"MAANNN why do we have so much work, what a drag!" Shiki whined for the millionth time.

"I second that. I say we take a break." Roja supported his fellow blonde, scratching his chin.

"Stop whining, you Federation of United Lazy Asses." Lilly deadpanned, flipping another page while categorizing another title. All the officers were sitting in the library cataloging books and scrolls. They were placed at a large black table made of marble. Currently the table was literally covered in various papers, books and scrolls.

"Now now, Lilly-chan, don't be so harsh on them." Kurai smiled at the brunette. "We have been working for quite a while, and we really could use a break."

"Nope. I think we should work harder." Shinda objected.

"Not all of us are deathly terrified of Commander Kurosaki's wrath." Yuki grinned at him.

"Right. And I bet that you aren't afraid of him." Shinda mocked her. Yuki snorted in a very unladylike fashion. "Not even once?" She broke the eye contact with him, and looked at the papers below.

"Well there was that one time… do you remember Shiki?" She turned to her friend.

"How could I forget. I couldn't stop my knees from shaking when he flared up Reiatsu." The blonde replied. "Why about you guys? Has anyone else been frightened by our dark knight?" They looked at him blankly. 'Tsk. Of course they don't get the reference.'

"Well I remember when I robbed him." Everyone, except for Aoba and Lilly, looked at Kurai like she was mental. "Hey, I didn't know who he was. Anyway when I was about to be killed, he saved me in like one second. Akira's thugs were going to kill me and then suddenly BAM! He was walking towards me with a bloody sword. Honestly the way he looked at me made my knees weak, and not in good way." Yet she blushed slightly in the end. "Still he really looked hot back then, I have to admit." She said, drawing chuckles from her companions.

"Looks like lil Kur-chan has a crush." Aoba laughed.

"I'm not crushing on him!" She yelled, red as a beet.

"Ok I belieeeve you." The dark skinned man grinned. "He made me wet my pants when he did that trick with his voice as he was freeing me." He found Roja, Shinda and Hashiro nodding. "Damn I never wish to be on that receiving side ever again." He felt a shiver go down his spine.

"In my case I was afraid of him for only a few seconds. It was when he killed Akira after he tried to…" Lilly paused, swallowing hard. Kurai put a hand on her shoulder, trying to comfort her friend. "You know what, you can't even imagine how happy I was when he told me that you had sent him."

"That guy really has some timing huh?" Hashioro commented.

"No shit. Remember our graduation day?" Roja laughed. "When he lashed out on that little shit Jui? Man, I almost pitted the bastard." Hashiro grinned.

"He got what he deserved. The worst part was when he looked at us with those black and gold eyes." Shinda shook his head.

"Yeah even your poker face couldn't hold, Hashiro. I was damn close to fainting. Still aside from the "scary periods" he's ok." All of the present nodded.

"Agreed. He doesn't treat us like the rest of them." Roja smirked.

"Yeah, but he's still a slave-driver." Shinda laughed.

"If you weren't always drinking between work days…" Hashiro smiled. Yuki, Lilly, and Kurai laughed at the man's misfortune.

"So cruel." He said suddenly sulking in the corner. Aoba came over and patted his back.

"Don't worry, I'm sure that he won't be so harsh with you in the future." Shiki laughed

"Just like Darth Vader wasn't harsh when someone pissed him off." Again everyone looked at him blankly. "Oh come on! Watch human TV, it's really great!" He yelled despairingly.

"My my, don't you know it's rude to gossip?" Hachi said as he entered the room. All the officers and future officers stood, a guilty look on their faces. "I'm sure Ichigo-san would be interested to hear that his men are talking behind his back." All of them paled. "But rest assured he won't know about it from me." He grinned at their relieved faces. "So what were you gossiping about anyway?"

"We were recalling the moments that the Commander scared us senseless." Roja told him. At first Hachi looked surprised, but then started to chuckle.

"Were you ever afraid of him?" Kurai asked, curiosity written all over her face.

"Hmmm… Yes there was one time when I was... hesitant to be in his presence." All of them stared at Hachi, wide eyed.

"But Hachi-san aren't you like his supervisor? Shouldn't you be the stronger one?" Hashiro asked

"In terms of Kido yes. I'm still stronger than him at that, but in practically everything else like swordsmanship, and raw power, we're worlds apart." The revelation shocked them. "And the only time I was afraid of him was when he had been working on mastering his mask."

"Mask? What mask?" Lilly asked.

"He probably means his Hollow mask. The whole academy was full of gossip about it after his fight with Aizen." Shinda said.

"Wait what? He can wear a Hollow mask?" Aoba gasped. "Is that even possible?"

"Oh it is very possible." Hachi moved both of his hand to his head and put on his mask. "See?"

"H-Hachi-san! What the hell?" Yuki pointed a finger at him. "You can do it too?!"

"Yes. Like Ichigo, and few other Shinigami, I'm a Visored." Hachi explained before taking off his mask.

Everyone looked at him with mouths agape.

"I've heard the rumors, but I didn't believed them…" Roja and Hashiro nodded. Hachi disintegrated his mask.

"But what does that have to do with you being afraid of Ichigo?" Aoba asked.

"Well... there is a certain process to achieve a mask… namely you must fight your Inner Hollow." All present were at rapt attention.

"We have Hollows inside us?" Lilly asked, worry all over her face.

"No. No not all of us… as far as I know. Either way you have to defeat the Hollow to gain the control over his power."

"But what happens if the Hollow defeats you?" Roja wondered with concern.

"You turn into a Hollow." Hachi replied shortly. The room fell silent, everyone digesting Hachi's words.

"Is the Commander alright?" Lilly looked at Hachi with her one eye.

"Yes, don't worry about him. He conquered his Hollow like the rest of us. However in the process of conquering our Hollow, they take over and others have to fight them to keep them safe. That was the moment I was afraid to face him." He took the deep breath. "While most Hollows look somewhat comical to me, the shape Kurosaki took was anything but. It was probably the first time I was legitimately afraid of a Hollow." Hachi admitted.

"What did he look like?" Shiki asked with childlike enthusiasm.

"Hmm… I guess I can show you." Hachi mutter some words, and soon a large transparent screen appeared in front of them.

"What is that?" Yuki asked

"That is a projection of my mental image. A little side project I developed in my Kido study." Hachi smiled, obviously proud of his achievement. "I will now show you what he looked like when we fought him as he fough his Hollow." An image of a hollowfied Ichigo appeared on the scream. His officers gasped at the image of their Commander.

Long messy orange hair swirled wildly in the wind. His face was covered in a menacing white skull-like mask, tribal markings over it's left side. The only visible part of his face was his right eye, which was now gold and black. His skin was now pale white. His torso and lower half were covered in white bone-like armor. A Hollow Hole sat dead center of his chest, which was covered in tribal tattoos. His fingers and toes were now sharp talons. A large white tail, with a red tip, was swaying dangerously from his back. If he didn't look savage enough the ripped Shinigami uniform added to the effect.

Ichigo's men stared at the image in a trance. Fear crept into their hearts when the beast narrowed its glowing yellow eyes, and bared it's fangs releasing steam from its mouth. All of them paled and remained silent, no one daring to breathe. His very image chilled them to the bone, and none of them could ever imagine facing the beast in real life.

"Ok. I'm now officially freaked out." Aoba squeaked. Everyone gulped, and Hachi's eyes hardened.

"Stop that at once!" He ordered with a hardness rarely heard in his voice. The officers all turned to him in shock. "Tell me has Ichigo wronged you in anyway?" They shook their heads.

"From what he told me he showed you nothing but kindness, and yet you look at him like some sort of monster!" Hachi's eyes narrowed in anger. "At some point you will witness him using these powers, and I won't allow you to see him as such. He feels responsible for all of you, and with your attitudes like this you could get him killed."

A collective uncertainty filled their expressions. "Ichigo is strong, yet this kind of fear from his very own men will cut deeply." Together the officers looked down in shame. Hachi's face softened. "I did not tell you all of this on whim. I'm asking you to trust your Commander, and stand by his side. He's still young, yet his wise beyond his years. Despite not fully realizing it, he's caring a very heavy burden, so your roles, as well as mine, is to support him. Do you understand me?"

"Hai!" They replied in unison.

"If I can speak on behalf of everyone, we're sorry for our reactions." Roja apologized, with the rest of them nodding. "But he was really scary." He admitted making Hachi chuckle.

"Imagine facing him in real life. It is a good thing he has it under control." Everyone let out the breaths they were holding.

"So he won't like go berserk on us, huh?" Kurai wondered.

"I hope not." Hachi smirked. "Just do not piss him off…." He laughed whole-heartily at their returned frightened expressions. "I believe your break is over. We still have a few hundreds book to catalog, but it's the last section so the task is close to the end. If you work hard I'm sure that Ichigo will give you few days off after." Seconds after he said this the sound of scribbling pens could be heard. Hachi smirked and was about to help them when a voice suddenly called out to him.

"Yo, Hachi, sup?" Shinji Hirako greeted him, followed by Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi and Kensei Muguruma.

"Welcome, friends. To what do I owe this pleasure?" Shinji snorted.

"Cut the official crap Hachi, we need to talk… in private." He glanced sideways at Ichigo's men.

"Then let's head to the office." And with that four Visored left the room. For a few minutes everyone was silent.

"Sooo what do you think was that about guys?" Kurai wondered idly.

"Dunno, something important." Shiki replied.

"No duh, what gave it away?" Yuki deadpanned.

"Guys, guys there's no need to dwell on it. I'm sure we'll hear about it sooner or later." Shinda said.

How right he was.

* * *

Ichigo's Office

The four Visored walked into Ichigo's office, and closed the doors behind them. Hachi was now facing his companions. They stood in somewhat nervous silence.

"Hachi set up a sound barrier." Shinji said with an unusual seriousness. The giant did as instructed, feeling something big was up. "Now mind telling us about Ichigo's new Arrancar girlfriend?" Shinji asked with a grim look on his face.

'Crap.' Hachi started to sweat.

* * *

Karakura High, Chemistry Class

"… So you see it's all about equivalent exchange." The short blond haired and golden eyed man explained. He turned to the black board, his red coat billowing behind him.

"So small…" Keigo muttered. The man's ear grew to comical proportions.

"What did you just say?" He growled.

"I said so small…" Keigo didn't manage to finish his sentence.

"WHO THE HELL YOU CALLLING A SUPER-SMALL BEAN SPROUT!?" The golden haired man jumped on the unfortunate boy, beating him senseless.

"GYAAA! I meant atoms! Edward-Sensei atoms!" He yelled. The man stopped his assault.

"Oh, sorry about that. Yes, atoms are very small." The teacher continued the lesson as if nothing had happened.

Ichigo shook his head, recently he stared to realize how unique the set of teachers his school had.

"Psst Ichigo, how long till class is over?" Yoruichi whispered to him. Ichigo looked at his watch, suppressing a groan.

"Forty-two minutes." He sighed. Today was just dragging on. Ichigo wanted nothing more than to go back home and chill out. He lay his head in his arms on his desk and tried to nap, but the teacher's constant rant about some unneeded stuff prevented that. But half way through the class an announcement made his and the entire class's day.

"Attention all classes, history teacher The Major-Sensei, English teacher Alucard-Sensei, and religion teacher Anderson-sensei have gone with their classes on a field trip to London, and will be absent till the end of the next week. All lessons with these three teachers have been canceled until then." Ichigo's class cheered.

"Yesss! Our last three lessons." Ichigo grinned.

"Yeah that's cool, but why don't we ever get to go on field trips?" Orihime asked. Ishida sighed and adjusted his glasses.

"Ask Kurosaki, a delinquent like him really sabotages our class's reputation." Ichigo scowled at him.

"Are you trying to tell me that our class has a worse reputation than the so called, Millennium, Iscariot and Hellsing classes? Who're constantly fighting and destroying property?"

"At least they are from our school, and keep their squabbles here. Unlike a certain someone who goes after delinquents from other schools." Ishida smirked smugly.

"Bullshit! We aren't going on any schools trips, because of our bastard homeroom teacher is a goddamn lazy ass." Ichigo seethed.

"Chill out Kurosaki, Gintoki-sensei is really cool. Unlike someone I know." Tatsuki smirked showing her tooth.

"Up yours. I'm way cooler than that bum."

"And way humbler too." Yoruichi fired off, making the class laugh.

"You're supposed to be on my side." Ichigo mumbled, pouting.

"You will thank me in the future." That drew another fit of laughter from the class. "So what do we do with all this free time?"

"Hmm... how about we hit the mall…" Ichigo wanted to continue, but the teacher interrupted him.

"Has anyone heard the bell yet? Cause I certainly haven't." Edward glowered.

"Sorry I didn't here that from all the way up here." Ichigo replied, which instantly resulted in a nasty bruise on his head.

"Anyone else have some sort of smart comment?" The rest of the class wisely remained silent.

Despite his initial joy at a prospect of spending less time at school, Ichigo kept an eye on Tia who has been silent practically the whole day. They moment they left home Ichigo tried to keep things casual, but he failed as Tia began speaking less and less. Almost to the point where she first was when they met. Most of the time she just stared at her desk, scribbling down notes absentmindedly. When asked if she was ok, Tia gave a curt reply which indicated that she wanted to be left alone. If they weren't heeded Ichigo stepped in giving Tia's request a physical warning.

Not that the presence of all three of her rivals made her feel any better. The ease of their interactions with Ichigo made her feel threatened, despite Isshin's claims that what happened hadn't changed anything. Ichigo was still young, and she still wasn't sure how he truly felt about it. But for the sake of keeping up appearances she kept those doubts to herself... for now.

All of this hadn't go unnoticed by the resident ex-special ops Captain. She was aware that it most likely was connected to yesterday's event, but she could not exactly pin it down. Ichigo worried glances, and Tia's unusual aloofness was puzzling, making her curious about the whole thing. Yoruichi decided that some investigating was needed.

After the bell Ichigo, Tia, Yoruichi, Rukia, Chado, Inoue, and Ishida went together to the mall. Much to the men's chagrin, all the ladies, excluding Tia, wanted to go shopping. So the group ended up splitting with Tia being forcefully dragged along the ladies.

Giving Ichigo one last desperate glace, she was dragged into the jungle that was a mall. Relieved that they weren't dragged along, the boys opted to settle in one of the numerous restaurants.

"Don't worry, they won't pester her too much." Chado reassured Ichigo after seeing his constant worried glances into the vast mall.

"We don't know that. Yoruichi can go pretty far with her teasing some times." Ichigo pointed out.

"If you tell us what's wrong it might not be such a problem." Ishida suggested calmly.

"It's personal." Ichigo replied.

"How?"

"Let's just say that's there's nothing more personal than it."

Chado and Ishida exchanged shocked looks.

"You slept with her!?" They exclaimed simultaneously, causing him to fall backward out of his chair. Quickly scrambling to get up and sit in the seat Ichigo stared hard at his friends.

"No!" He whisper-shouted. "I didn't sleep with Tia!"

"That would explain things... are you telling the truth?" Ishida probed.

"Since when are you so interested in my love life?"

"Your what?"

"My love li- you bastard." Ichigo growled, just getting the jab. "Like yours is any bet-"

"Oi Lisa, look what baldy I had found in here!" Hiyori exclaimed interrupting Ichigo.

"Hiyori stop screaming. I know that your hormones are finally stirring, but need to try and control them more." Lisa deadpanned.

"Screw you, you pervert!" She yelled back flushed in the face. Both of the girls missed Ichigo's complexion pale to match his Hollow counterparts.

'Of all people, out of all places, out of all times... why does fate hate me?!' He began to panic. 'I have to ditch them before Tia…'

"We should do this more often, eh girls?" Yoruichi's voice reached his ears, and his eyes widened in terror.

Time seemed to slow down to a crawl as the two Visored Shinigami slowly turned around to face the voice.

Since Ichigo was facing the group he could see the "Oh fuck" forming on Yoruichi's mouth, as well as a horrible realization on Tia's face.

In that instant Lisa and Hiyori's eyes landed on Tia, as she dropped the bags she was carrying.

"You…You … YOU... mphg!" Ichigo covered Hiyori's mouth with his hand before she could make a scene.

"Calm down and I'll explain everything." She struggled against his grip. "I'll buy you a pizza if you calm down."

"Mpghtm!"

"Yes, with double cheese." She immediately stopped clawing at his hand after hearing that. Everyone sweat dropped at the odd parlay. After a tense few seconds of finding seats, Ichigo was ready to debate his ass off.

"Ok, now please explain Ichigo-san, why are you and your friends hanging out with an Espada?" Lisa asked tapping her glasses to take on an eerie glow. Tia sitting right next to Ichigo made the calmly perverted Shinigami raise an eyebrow.

Ichigo told her the story of how they had met, and few other prominent points in her stay with him. "So to sum up, you found her wounded in the park, healed her, offered her a home, and then threatened her to fulfill every of your sick and twisted desires, or you would betray her to Soul Society, yes?"

"Yes, that's exactly….Wait?! NO! Why the hell did you add the last part!?" He yelled, blushing fiercely.

"You still haven't done anything to her? What are you gay?" Lisa uttered in total shock. "Seriously how long do you plan on being a virgin?"

Predictably Ichigo turned into spluttering mess, much to everyone's, even Tia's, amusement.

"Hmm maybe I can remedy that..." Lisa rubbed her chin looking like she was actually considering it. Her comment made Ichigo practically have a stroke, while those fighting for his affections suddenly felt the urge to chase the glasses girl away.

"Now now Lisa-san, stop joking hahaha." Rukia told her with a very fake smile.

"Who said I was joking? He's cute, with his 'I'm so tough, yet delicate inside' way. Plus I like them innocent." She said it with a perfectly straight face, staring straight into Ichigo's eyes.

The orange haired boy wished he could disappear. If Yoruichi was the one doing that he would know that she was joking, but his read on Lisa's told him that she would actually make good on her promise.

"I'll treat you well." She reassured him as if reading his mind.

"I'm not sure that this should be the topic of discussion right now." Yoruichi butted in, gazing at Lisa in a dangerously sweet way.

"Yeah! So I would like you to keep quiet about Tia, ok?" Ichigo asked quickly, hoping to drop this extremely uncomfortable conversation.

"I don't know… what's in it for me?" Hiyori grinned. "You know the Soul Society gives large bounties for war criminals."

"I will not let you blackmail him." Tia stated firmly. The smaller blonde glared at her, baring her lower fang at her.

"And what'll you do if I just went to the Soul Society and blab about you?" Ichigo spoke for Tia before she could.

"Chado plastic bag, Ishida shovel, Inoue lime." Ichigo ordered looking at the small woman in seriousness.

"Chill out Ichigo, Hiyori was just kidding. No need to be so defensive about your not-lover." Lisa soothed. "We won't tell anyone, except Shinji and the crew." Ichigo was about to protest, but she silenced him. "You will need allies if they discover her, so it's better to tell them now. Who else knows about her?"

"The Hat n Clogs team, Hachi and Renji." Ichigo told her with a sigh.

"Looks like we'll have to have a chat with him about keeping things from the team." Lisa mumbled, already thinking up punishments for Hachi. Hiyori taps away on her cell phone, and about two seconds later her phone lights up.

"Anyways, Ichigo, Shinji said that you should get your stupid ass to Soul Society. He wants to speak to you about something." Hiyori informed him with a roll of her eyes.

"How the hell does he know already?!" Ichigo hissed.

"I texted him baldy, duh." Hiyiri shrugged.

"It's on me guys, bon appetite." Ichigo told the group, and went to pay the bill. Tia was about to follow him, but Ichigo stopped her. "Sorry Tia but I'm heading to the SS. I'll see you at home later." He smiled to her, and waved bye to the group.

The Arrancar turned her gaze on the two Visored women, and let's say that it was a far from friendly look.

"Hey hey, no need to bite our heads off." Hiyori commented. "It not like you could beat us. I meant we defeated you before."

"If memory serves, Aizen was the one who cut me down, not you." Tia said coldly. Hiyori seemed to realize her mistake and paled a little.

"There's no need for things to get violent, Sharky." Yoruichi put a hand on her shoulder.

"She's right Tia-san, we don't want to cause a scene." Inoue told her. Tia closed her eyes, regaining her composure.

The waitress choose that moment to deliver the food. Seeing the tense fog between the teens, she quickly dispensed the food and left.

Needless to say the atmosphere didn't change with food present and being eaten.

"So anything interesting happened since last time?" Inoue asked, trying to lighten the mood.

"Nothing. Just adjusting to the life after being exiled and welcomed back." Lisa replied. "Shinji, Rojuro, Kensei and Mashiro went to the Soul Society to fill the gap. Love's doing whatever he's doing now, and Hiyori and I just hang around town doing nothing." She finished taking a big bite of her pizza. "How bout you?"

"Ahhh nothing much has happened." Orihime replied.

"Is that so?" Lisa turned to look at Tia. "I'd beg to differ."

"If you have something to tell me, then please by all means." Tia told her using her old emotionless facade.

"You've changed." She stated, surprising Tia. "I might not know you very well, but you're different now. You seem more… alive." Tia blinked at her statement. "I guess we have to thank Ichigo for that." She adjusted her glasses. "Listen, personally I have nothing against you, if Ichigo thinks you're ok that's fine with me, but…"

"If I hurt him I will regret it till the end of my undoubtedly short life." She finishes for her.

"You get that a lot I take it." Lisa smirked.

"Quite."

"Well that is a perk of being an Arrancar." Hiyori smirked. "And I totally want a rematch. I want to see how well you can back up those words!"

* * *

Ichigo hurriedly walked towards Urahara Shop. In his head he'd played the scenario over and over of how his discussion with Shinji would go... even the most optimistic weren't that pleasant.

'Not one goddamn day.' He mentally sighed.

'You should be used to it by now, Ichigo.' Zangetsu spoke up. 'Since you've met Rukia our lives have been more interesting than ever.'

'Agreed, but I meant… you know a week would be nice without something potentially devastating happening. No rouge Vasto Lorde's, Tia life or mind being threatened, or an end of the world cataclysm.'

'Oh stop bitching. You gotta to admit that, that Ningyo chick is pretty hot.' Hichigo leered.

'So? She might be hot, but what I meant was that I want to have some time without worrying for anything. Just some time to relax.' Ichigo admitted, feeling his cheeks color.

'Well that's not happening in the near future.' Hichigo laughed.

'You really know how to lift someone's spirit, don't you?" Ichigo asked sarcastically, making Hichigo laugh more.

'Someone has to keep you on the straight and narrow.'

Ichigo face palmed.

'Zangetsu remind me to commit suicide if he ever "set's me straight", ok?'

'Understood.'

'Good, and I'm finally here.' Ichigo walked through the doors of the shop.

"Hello Kurosaki-san, to what do I owe you this visit?" Urahara greeted him.

"Gotta fix another hiccup in the Soul Society." He sighed impatiently, Urahara sighed.

"What happened?" Urahara felt an oncoming headache.

"We met Lisa and Hiyori at the mall… and Tia was with me."

"I see, so what now?" Yup and there's that headache.

"Now? I'm going there to talk to Shinji and the rest of the Visored about it." Ichigo sighed, and slipped out of his body. "I'll see ya later. Oh and if I run back here wounded and bleeding, I'll need a hideout for Tia and I, ok?" Urahara sweat dropped.

"I will see what I can do."

"Thanks." Ichigo went to the training area and opened a Garganta. After a few minutes he stepped out in front of his HQ, and paused in opening the gate to his barracks. He looked at the building with a tint of pride. The black walls were shining in the sun, giving the building an atmosphere of grandiose.

'Tia would love to see this.' He though sadly. He knew the only thing she would find in SS would be death. With that optimistic thought he went to his office. On his way he was greeted by his men and several officers.

After getting lost (again), Ichigo finally found the doors to his own office. He put his hand on massive handle and pushed them open.

Shinji was sitting in his chair, his legs on Ichigo's table, and was currently digging through his stuff. Kensei was standing right behind him, his arms crossed over his chest and a scowl on his face. Rojuro was looking at him, disappointment written all over his face. Hachi, on the other hand, was standing in the corner his face turned to the wall, and a storm cloud was pouring rain all over him.

"Look who decided to grace us with his presence gentlemen. Commander Kurosaki Ichigo aka the total moron." Shinji deadpanned. "No don't say anything, you are a total moron. Have ya even given any thought on how deep in shit ya are?"

"I thought that you had more intelligence than this, Kurosaki-san." Rorujo added.

"Idiot." Kensei looked at him with disdain.

"I can't believe that I defended you when you were giving your report from your little desert adventure. So actually that white freak wasn't lying." Shinji sighed. Ichigo just calmly set up a sound barrier.

"You are an ass Shinji! Why the hell are you so worked up you knew about her!" Ichigo bellowed, making Kensei, Rojuro and most of all Hachi glare at the blonde captain who began to sweat like a pig.

"He knew? He knew about Halibel-san and gave me a half hour lecture about keeping secrets from the group..." The giant felt a rare anger blossom in his chest."

"Now Now Hachi, Ichigo my best bud wanted me to keep it secret and it wouldn't be much of a secret if I started to tell everyone about it right?"

He got a very blank look from everyone as response.

"Regardless of our moronic college action the problem still remains." Rojuro sighed while shaking his head." She's an Arrancar she cannot be trusted."

"Just like you because you're visored?" Ichigo cuntered." You're doing to her exactly the same thing the Soul Society did to you 110 years ago. You'd put a sword to her throat just because she's an Arrancar."

Kensei and Rojuro exchanged looked. When put like that the situation was similar.

"Ok ok, Kurosaki-san. We might've been a little harsh in judging your decision, but have you taken into consideration what will happen if the Soul Society discovers her, just like we did?" Rojuro asked. I

"I did, and I'm ready to face the consequences." Kensei looked at him with dead seriousness.

"And what if they decide to execute her?" Ichigo returned the look with equal, if not larger, fiercer determination.

"Then I will fight." The finality of his words were breathtaking.

"Are you really going to take the whole Soul Society on?" Rojuro asked incredulously.

"Not my first time, most likely not the last." Ichigo smirked. "And back then I was way weaker then I am now."

"But then the circumstances were in your favor. Now the Soul Society stands united, and all traitors have been dealt with. You are really risking a lot on this matter… is she really worth it?" Shinji asked to make certain of his convictions.

"Yes. She's a dear friend and deserves someone to have her back." Ichigo replied with pure honesty.

"He's set guys." Shinji said." What you're gonna do?"

"Fine, whatever." Kensei replied in his usual non caring manner." Let him have her."

"Life is certainly interesting around you, Kurosaki-san." Rojuro chuckled. "We'll keep quiet about her."

"Oh and Ichigo, one more thing… it seems that she quite enjoy the time without you." Shinji handed his cell to Ichigo. He looked at the screen, and saw all his friends, including Tia, sitting near the fountain in a group photo. Tia looked like she wished to be anywhere but there. He even noticed Yoruichi giving her the horns from behind. "That reminds me, have you bagged her yet?"

"W-Wha?" Ichigo choked blushing beef red. "Tia and I aren't like that!"

"Oh come on don't tell me you haven't done it …" He looked at Ichigo's expression. "Remind me to not drop the soap anywhere near you!"

"What! I'm not gay!" Ichigo yelled.

"Sure you aren't. Living for five months with that super-hot chick, and you haven't banged her yet? How are you not gay?" The blonde laughed.

"It's not like that you asshole! It's… complicated." Ichigo started to hate that word.

"I don't know what Yoruichi sees in you." Kensei deadpanned.

"It's not like that!" Ichigo yelled.

"Whatever you say. Let's go guys… Oh and Hachi I havn't finished talking with you about the whole "no secrets between Visored rule". So you're coming with us." Hachi dragged himself along with them, a downcast expression on him.

When they left Ichigo slumped into his chair. He sat for a few minutes staring at the wall, not thinking about anything particular. Suddenly a pair of hands covered his eyes.

"Guess who?" A low seductive voice asked him.

"Hey Yoruichi." He replied, not even surprised that she managed to cover the distance already.

"Oh, you're not fun." She pouted. "What's bothering you?"

"Like you don't know." He grinned at her surprise. "Yes I sensed you."

"But how? I was hiding, maybe I wasn't trying so much, but…"

"Guess you will have to try more in future to slip past my senses." She mirrored his smile

"And what if I want to be caught?" She purred. "What punishment I will receive?" She crept closer to him. Ichigo as per usual turned red, feeling her soft assets pressed to the back of his head.

"Pervert." He muttered.

"Oh so you wanted to give me that kind of punishment, naughty boy." She giggled, embarrassing him even more. Her hand slowly traveled to his neck and started to massage it.

"W-What are you doing?" Ichigo shuddered.

"Giving you a massage. You seem stressed." Her hands stared gently to loosen his tensed muscles. In spite of himself, Ichigo relaxed and let Yoruichi work her magic.

'God she can really do wonders with her hands.' He almost sighed contentedly as she took care of a particularly sore place.

'Ask her to "massage" your "other" tensed muscles.' Hichigo grinned, almost making Ichigo choke on his saliva.

'S-Shut up!'

'You know damn well that she would gladly and eagerly do it right now, on this very table.' Hichigo snorted.

Ichigo blushed even more. But deep inside he was wondering if there was even a slight possibility of that. He could still feel her assets pressing against the back of his head, not to mention the massage started to become very enjoyable.

Meanwhile Yoruichi moved to massage his chest. Ichigo was so deep in thought that he was practically ignoring everything going on in the outside world.

'Damn. Since when did this scrawny brat get these muscles?' Her fingers trailed along Ichigo's well-toned chest. 'Hmm he's taking this really well. Usually by this point he be having a mini heart attack.' She leaned forward, and saw the faraway look in his eyes. She smirked devilishly. 'Chance!' She nibbled on his ear. Ichigo jumped at the sudden contact, and turned to look at her with wide eyes.

"Y-Yoruichi!" He squealed like a girl.

"That's for dozing off when I'm doing you such a service!" She exclaimed with a giggle.

"I wasn't dozing off, I was thinking." He replied.

"About?" Ichigo had to come up with an excuse which she wouldn't immediately see through, or...

"It's…complicated." He sighed. Ichigo really wished she would stop looking at him with those cat-like yellow eyes. She watched him with concern, then an idea hit her.

"Hey lets spar." Ichigo was totally taken by surprise at the suggestion.

"Why?" She smiled at him.

"You look like you need to blow off some steam. So I figured it might be a good way to do that. Seeing as you aren't about to do it any other way." She grinned at his blush. 'That blush never gets old.' Ichigo looked at her, and after some thought realized that it was actually a good idea.

"Alright then, let's hit the training grounds." The duo headed out of his office side by side.

"So I finally get to see how well your roommate is training you." Ichigo quickly looked around for prying ears.

"Can we not speak of her here? It's kind of a secret." She looked at him funnily.

"Fiiiiine. Keep her your dirty little secret."

On their way they passed some of Ichigo's men, including Lilly. The moment they thought that the duo couldn't hear, they began murmuring between each other.

"Oh. Seems we're creating gossip." Yoruichi smirked at Ichigo.

"Or rather adding fuel to the fire." It took a few minutes but the two got outside to the large open field, where a few of his men were already practicing.

"Well I guess this place is as good as any." Ichigo rolled his shoulders as he walked further down the field, away from Yoruichi. After doing a few quick stretches he pulls the sword off his back and sticks it in the ground next to him. "Ready whenever you are." Yoruichi rose an eyebrow when he did this.

"You mean to take me on in hand to hand combat?" She asked incredulously

"Well a true test of skills is when you fight someone at what you do best, isn't it?" He replied.

"So you think I'm the best?" Yoruichi smirked with a wink, almost demanding the praise.

"One of." He grinned at her pout.

"That earned you a solid ass kicking, boy." She said as she took her stance. They missed the lone Shinigami running at full speed to the building, going to inform everyone of oncoming fight.

"We'll see kitty cat." Ichigo dashed forward and sent a straight punch at her face. She dodged it with ease, and swept around his arm, delivering an vicious elbow strike. Ichigo managed to catch it in his free hand's open palm.

"Ara? Well you seem to have certainly improved, but.." She undercut him. "You're still worlds apart from me." Ichigo hit the ground with a loud thud. He collected himself and tried to sweep her legs from his position, but she simply jumped up. Ichigo used his momentum to get to his feet and jumped to. Using the temporary advantage in speed he delivered a strong kick to her side. She blocked it with her arm, but cringed at the force behind it. The pressure sent her flying a few meters into the air.

"That was a nasty kick. If I hadn't blocked it it would surely have broken a rib or two." She commented.

"You wouldn't be called a Hakuda master if you hadn't block it." He replied simply.

"Flattery will get you everywhere." They resumed combat not a split second later. Exchanging numerous punches and kick as they both gauged their opponent. Ichigo once again marveled at the speed and grace the brown skinned beauty used in dodging his attacks. While Yoruichi's respect for Ichigo skills raised a few notches.

She sent a spinning kick to his head. He caught her leg, and was about to kick her when she wrapped her body around him, interrupting his movement. She locked her legs around his neck, while her hands were immobilizing his legs by way of his feet. She was now sitting on the back on his head.

"Giving up berry-boy?" She taunted. Ichigo mumbled something incoherent. "What was that?"

"Hadō no 58.: Tenran." A mini-tornado shot out of his hand, throwing them into the air. Yoruichi broke the hold from the force. Ichigo took his chance to catch her, and did a classic Aikido throw which Tia actually taught him.

"Bakudo no 4: Hainawa." A yellow rope launched from his hand and dashed towards Yoruichi. She simply grinned.

"Bakudo no 39: Enkōsen." A large yellow disc appeared in front of her, and intercepted the attack. The combatants both landed and stared each other down. "I have to say I'm impressed by your progress. You're giving me quite the warm up."

"I'm just getting started." He boasted with a grin.

Yoruichi licked her lips.

"Me too." Yoruichi said licking her lips before she disappeared in a flash of Shunpo, and appeared behind Ichigo. She managed to land a kick to the side of his face, and send him flying. "Let's take things up a notch." His reply came in the form of a yellow thunder bolt known as Hado no 63: Raikōhō. She Shunpo'ed away just in time to hear a characteristic booming sound.

"As you wish." A low voice growled behind her, sending shivers down her spine. She did a quick back kick, and felt nothing. Spinning back around and straightened her fingers to backhand him, but he caught her by the wrists. Now she could see him with the corner of her eyes. Ichigo looked straight at her with his black and golden eyes, hypnotizing her.

'I could really drown in his eyes.' She thought, captivated by the sight. Ichigo, seeing her absent minded expression, gently flicked her forehead.

"I thought we were sparring?" She looked at him with wide eyes, and quickly broke from his hold.

"Looks like I have to get a tiny bit serious." She jumped straight at him, surprising him. Just before their bodies collided she did a front flip, and sent a devastating kick to his head using her heel. Ichigo was sent plummeting at tremendous speed toward the earth.

"Shit. Bakudō no 37. Tsuriboshi." A blue ball fired from his hand and flew toward the ground. Then it expanded, shooting six ropes which attached to something sturdy, creating a flat elastic-like cushion. Sadly it was an open field... so while the spell did fulfill it original purpose, it had managed to soften his hit a bit. So it just hurt like hell.

"That hurts, damn it Yoruichi!" He cursed. She just laughed at his misfortune.

"I told ya I was getting a tiny bit serious." Ichigo scowled. He used this short break and looked around. The previously semi-empty field was now filled with people, including probably all of his men, and to his surprise most of the Gotei 14, with exception of the Captain Commander, Kurotsuchi, Byakuya, Komamura and their lieutenants.

"Where the hell they come from?" He asked his sparring partner.

* * *

Kido Division

"Hey everyone! Commander-sama and Lady Shihoin are fighting at the training field!" The random man yelled to anyone listening. News traveled at lightning speed throughout the HQ, and soon all of his men were rushing to see the fight.

* * *

Hachi, Shinji, Kensei, Rojuro

"… The next time you hide something this important from us Hachigen, I will-" Shinji stopped his rant when he felt a spike of Reiatsu. "Isn't that…"

"Yep its Kurosaki-san and Yoruichi-san." Rojuro confirmed.

"But why they are fighting?" Kensei asked

"I hope he didn't say no to her." Hachi added. Shinji grinned devilishly

"Let's go watch!"

* * *

Unohana and Isane

Unohana stopped healing her current patient and looked out a nearby window.

"Is something wrong Captain Unohana?" Isane asked.

"I think we should pay Kurosaki-san a visit." She smirked, finishing with her patient then walking out of the room. Stupefied Isane followed her.

* * *

Ukitake and Kyoraku

"You really should practice Shogi more Kyoraku." Ukitake smirked at his old friend.

"Nah. I prefer drinking." He was about to take a gulp when he felt the two rising Reiatsus. "Did you?"

"Yes I felt it too… shall we go?" Ukitake asked.

"How could I miss watching Ichigo being put in the dirt by his date." Kyoraku laughed.

"You are still angry about the whole ordering your lieutenants to come with you, aren't you?"

* * *

Toshiro

'Paperwork, paperwork, PAPERWORK!' The pissed off boy shouted in his head as he filled out another document. "Damn you Matsumoto." He mutters under his breath. He was just about to begin filling out another form when he felt the Reiatsu.

"Thank Kami!" He Shunpo'ed out of his office quickly.

* * *

Zaraki

"Just wait for me ICHIGO! HEHEHE!"

* * *

SoiFon

"Just wait for me YORUICHI-SAMA!"

* * *

Shinigami Women's Association

"Cheers!" The members of the SWA toasted before taking their first sips.

"Oh wow that's so good!" Matsumoto yelled with red cheeks from the booze.

"Hihihi Matsu-chan you always look so funny when you're drunk." Yachiru laughed.

"Just like Captain Kyoraku." Nanao mumbled.

"Ohhh come one I'm just having some fun." At that moment all of them felt the Reiatsu.

"Hey isn't that Yoruichi's and Ichigo's Reiatsu?" Nanao wondered aloud.

"It is." Nemu replied simply.

"Wonder what they are doing?" Momo asked.

"Let's go see!" Kiyone yelled. Suddenly secret doors opened up inside the room, revealing Kuchiki Byakuya with his bared sword.

"Scatter, Senbonzakura." A thousand pink petals flew towards the defenseless women.

* * *

"You really didn't notice? Shame on you" He grinned.

"I was too concentrated on you." Yoruichi cheeks grew slightly pink, but no one could see it thanks to her skin tone.

"I fell…" She couldn't finish her excuse before Ichigo suddenly disappeared. She turned right to intercept a strong left hook. She used his own momentum and threw him away. She was just about pounce him, but Ichigo did an acrobatic flip in the air and shot an powerful Sōkatsui at her.

"Hmph, nice try. Bakudo no 81: Danku!" The Kido clashed with her shield and emitted a blinding light. Yoruichi covered her eyes for a second. That was the opening that Ichigo needed. He dashed past her defenses and tagged her in the solar plexus. All air in her lungs escaped and she was sent flying. Ichigo heard the gaps from the crowd.

* * *

Spectators

"Damn him! How dare he strike Lady Yoruichi!" SoiFon yelled, about ready to join the fight, but she was stopped by Unohana.

"Now now Soifon-san, they are just sparring. They are bound to hit each other. Yet it is surprising is that he managed to land a hit on her at all." She commented.

"Hmph, lucky shot." She replied.

"He seems to get a lot of those." Kyoraku told her.

"Indeed. And he's managing to fire high class spells without incantation, yet their power is barely weakened." Ukitake stated. "Since when has he been able to do this?"

"I believe I know the answer." Hachi spoke up. "To put it simply he can be considered a prodigy in Kido."

"Hachi-san I believe you're exaggerating." Unohana said.

"He's almost as good a healer as me." Hachi noted, making Unohana's eyes widen. "Since he's this far along there isn't much more I can teach in that area. I've mentioned he should seek your aid to further his progress, but judging from your reaction he hasn't asked you yet." Unohana smiled in her very own special way when she hears this.

"Seems that Kurosaki and I will have those talks sooner than expected." Her tone sent shivers down the spine of every nearby Shinigami. "But I guess having such a great teacher adds to his progress."

'Oops… forgive me Ichigo.' Hachi looked at his soon to be traumatized boss. Hachi's attention snapped to the fight, or rather the lack there of. At the moment the two opponents were staring down each other, standing a few feet apart. Ichigo stated to laugh.

"What they are doing?" Renji asked.

"Getting to the good part." Zaraki commented, his eyes glowing eyes slightly.

* * *

"Hell that hurts! That ain't the way you treat the lady!" Yoruichi yelled at him, massaging her sore belly. 'Damn he packs some serious force behind those punches.'

"Oh come on. I was holding back!" His comment shocked her. A second later they collided with each other, and once again exchanged incredibly fast kick and punches. Yoruichi was gaining a slight upper hand, but Ichigo was adamant. He tanked the punishment well, and even scored a few minor hits while at it.

Ichigo knew this fight was different from others. Now he had nothing to lose, nothing to worry about. It was just him and her. And he was starting to feel something that he thought was only native to Zaraki Kempachi.

Joy

For the first time in his life Ichigo was truly enjoying a fight. Yoruichi kicked him in the chest, and sent him backwards. Ichigo didn't even feel it though. He couldn't hold it any longer. He burst out laughing. His reaction completely flabbergasted Yoruichi.

"What's so funny, tell me?!" She asked, slightly unnerved. The laugh reminding her of a certain Captain with way too much fondness for fighting.

"This fight! You know this is actually the first fight that I don't have to worry about… it's just you and me…" He Sonido'ed behind her, and sent a devastating swirling kick. She barely blocked it, but the force behind it send her back a few meters. Ichigo grinned and stared at the woman before him.

Joy, euphoria, those were the closest words that could describe Ichigo's state right now. He knew that he might be getting overexcited, but Ichigo didn't care. He planned to enjoy this fight to the fullest. He looked into Yoruichi's yellow cat-like eyes, noting a mischievous glimmer in them.

He could smell her sweet scent from here. Her skin was shining with sweat, and she was panting slightly. Her chest were going up and down in a hypnotizing manner. Her clothes were stuck tightly to her skin, making her voluptuous curves stand out even more. Ichigo could feel his heart beat faster as he took in all of her.

In the very dark, primal part of his mind the thought of dominating this woman surfaced.

Yoruichi, with no small amount of shock, noticed his sudden intentness of her. Yes, there was the occasional glance here and there, but that was a given considering his age, even it being Ichigo. But such raw and unrestrained desire radiating off him was something entirely new. She had to restrain herself from smiling. She was really close to loosing faith in her ability to seduce men, due to Ichigo's denseness. But it seemed that she cracked that nut too. She felt her own excitement rising within her at that thought.

"Yoruichi." Ichigo growled in a low husky voice, making a pleasant shiver course through her. "Another notch..." He brought his hand up to his face and swiped down, his mask forming. "… Shall we?"The moment he did this Yoruichi used her full speed, and struck his face, breaking his mask in one move. Ichigo didn't even register the movement. The power of the punch sent him flying towards the crowd. He crashed near the gathered Captains. Quickly getting to his feet he looked at Yoruichi in surprise.

"Now why would you cover such a cute face with that ugly mask, Ichigo!" She yelled with a cocky grin. Ichigo returned the smirk, he stood and was about to leave when Unohana stepped in.

"Kurosaki-san I think you should stop here before anyone gets…."

"Don't interfere."

Unohana gasped. No one in centuries had spoke to her with a such tone. She looked down at the young Shinigami surprise in her expression. He turned his hardened gaze to her.

'Those are certainly intimidating eyes.' She remained quiet. Ichigo broke the look, and walked towards Yoruichi. Leaving behind a crowd of stupefied Shinigami.

"I just can't believe what I just heard… he is so dead." Ikkaku whispered to Yumichika.

"I didn't think we'd need a new Commander for Kido corps so soon." He replied.

The murmurs died away when the pair resumed their duel. This time with even more ferocity. However the smile never left their faces. It was almost as if they were dancing. Anticipating each others moves, like it was a practiced countless times before.

Then Ichigo did something that surprised the crowd, Yoruichi, and even himself. He strait up tackled her. Being in such close quarters with her, she couldn't avoid it. The two fell back to the earth with Ichigo on top of her and pinned her wrists to the ground. She struggled under him, but Ichigo held her firmly. He leaned so their faces were just a few inches apart.

"Yield." He demanded.

"Never." She replied, staring into his predatory eyes. Her stubbornness tugged at something within Ichigo. Seeing Yoruichi with that determined look on her face, struggling to break his hold, made him forget his usual shyness. He closed the gap and brushed his lips against hers. His actions surprised both of them. In that moment Ichigo came back to his senses and paled. Yoruichi was just left gawking at him, mouth slightly ajar.

Ichigo could hardly resist the urge to roll his head to the crowd reaction. But judging from the silence, and the amount of the killing intent emitting from SoiFon, all present had seen this.

He looked into Yoruichi's eyes, and felt that his cheeks heat to a dangerous temperature. With rising panic he jumped of her, and disappeared in flash of Sonido. Leaving a massively displeased Yoruichi behind.

'God-friggin-damnit! Him and his damn shyness!' She seethed in her mind, actually missing SoiFon appearing at her side, worry written all over her face.

"Yoruichi-sama! Are you alright!? How dare that brute defile you!" She exclaimed in fury.

"Oh someone is going to be defiled." The purple haired beauty growled, getting off the ground and dusting herself off. "If you hear the scream of a terrified virgin, don't you dare come interfere!"

Her comment left the crowd flabbergasted.

"Y-Yoruichi-sama! You can't be serious!?" SoiFon practically fainted.

"I'm deadly serious." Yoruichi uttered, cracking her neck.

"Someone's in heat..." Kyoraku mumbled.

"I don't know if I should pity young Ichigo, or envy him." Ukitake chuckled.

"Seeing the stride in her step, I think that what she is about to do requires either an adult, and experienced man. or action from the authorities..." Rojoro commented. "He's still technically underage..."

The wind picked up.

"I think that I should be disturbed that it doesn't seem to bother anyone." He added after a few seconds.

Meanwhile Yoruichi was making her way to Ichigo's office. So very set on teaching the boy that teasing people was her forte. Not to mention it was rude to start something and not properly finish.

With that in mind she reached his office and kicked the doors open.

"ICHIGO! It's time to make a-" She came in just to see a Garganta closing. "-man out of you." She finished whispering. Her rage peaked at that moment.

From that day onward the Kido Corps Headquarters was said to be haunted by the furious scream of a fair maiden.

* * *

Human World

Ichigo let out a relieved breath as he left Urahara's shop. He did not want to talk about, or do whatever Yoruichi had planned right now. He was already on the verge of pulling his hair out.

He kissed Yoruichi... on his own accord! Well technically he just brushed his lips against hers, but still that put him in quite the peculiar and frustrating position.

He wasn't sure if there were feelings there or just the adrenaline rush messing with him, but he needed to seriously think on what happened. Cause if he left it like that, he might hurt her feelings. That and he'd probably end up well and truly a member of the Soul Society.

'You goddamn idiot!' He berated himself. Ichigo was so deep in his thoughts that he completely missed a certain orange haired girl stepping in his way.

Which resulted in pretty hilarious collision, which of course ended up with Ichigo lying of top of Inoue.

"K-K-Kurosaki-kun!?" Inoue squeaked beet red. Yet their meeting wasn't as accidental as one would believe. The girl had spent a fair amount of time here, waiting for the boy to come back from the Soul Society. While she wasn't planing to get under him... yet, at least she had his undivided attention now.

'What's with women ending up under me today?!' Ichigo shouted mentally, quickly getting up and helping Inoue stand.

'Normal men would not complain about that…' Hichigo commented with a strange detachment in his voice.

"I'm so sorry Inoue! I didn't mean to run you over. I was lost in my thoughts." Ichigo apologized hurriedly.

"No need for apologies Kurosaki-kun. I wasn't looking where I was going either." She offered him a warm smile.

"That helps a little, but still I'm sorry." He returned the smile. "Were you heading home? At least let me walk you the rest of the way as an apology."

'Score!' Inoue thought excitedly. She planned to confess to her long time crush today, and she finally found the courage to do so. The fact that Lisa basically proposed to have sex with him had nothing to do with it. Absolutely nothing, not even a bit.

She talked causally with Ichigo all the way up to her apartment, till the very doors.

"It was nice talking to you Inoue. I'll see ya tomorrow." Ichigo was about to leave when she suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck, and looked deeply into his eyes. Her face was almost as red fire, but she pushed forward. It was now or never.

She kissed him before he could say anything against it. Like almost every time before Ichigo froze like a statue, his mind unable to proceed what was currently happening.

But it wasn't a total shutdown, since he could feel her warm lips against his. Before he managed to react Inoue broke the kiss.

"I love you Kurosaki-kun!" She blurted out hurriedly, and ran inside her flat, slamming the door behind her.

Ichigo just stared at the door in shock.

This complicated matters even more...

* * *

A/N

Apperantly Kubo hadn't said last word let's see what the next volume of bleach will contain.


	18. Love wars!

The following week was weird, or rather extremely awkward. By now Ichigo's lady problems spread throughout the school, and there was rumor that there was a betting pool on who would take his virginity.

Yes, Ichigo's virginity, not the other way around.

The orange haired boy was in a cross-fire, surrounded at all times by four, yes four, women.

Apparently Rukia joined the fray in full force, proving Ichigo's suspicions about her.

Not that any man would complain if four beautiful women were trying to woo him, but the amount of tension and growing hostility was reaching a boiling point.

It might soon erupt into a full blow war, and the fact that all of them had combat ability did not help anyone unfortunate enough to get between them.

Sadly Ichigo was right constantly in the middle of that storm.

It was not hard to notice the drastic change in their behavior. While Yoruichi acted per usual, though, much to his surprise, less clingy. The rest quickly filled in her lack there of. For the few last nights he could only sleep with his back to Tia... due to reasons. Apparently she had taken a liking to a bit more revealing nightwear. Orihime suddenly became much more prone to invade his personal space whenever she could, and always trying to feed him from her bento. Rukia's approach, on the other hand, was to use every second she could to privately teach him how to be a Captain. The conversations usually steering towards relationship issues within the first ten minutes.

With no small dose of relief he welcomed Friday. That meant that he had two full days to ponder his own feelings. He knew that keeping them waiting for so long was cruel, and that he had to make a choice. Or at least that's how he spun it. In reality the girls were forcing his hand, probably knowing full well he'd slog through it over an undetermined amount of time. Probably resulting in an answer that would end things worse for everybody.

It had to be this weekend.

Hence why he is currently pondering on his feelings towards each girl, instead of doing his enormously large pile of paper work.

He sighed trailing his fingers along the smooth surface of his desk. He didn't know how to attack this problem. He was never in love before. While he was aware that at some point he would enter some relationship, even in his wildest dreams he wasn't expecting four women to actively pursue him.

He was not prepared for this. Now he had to chose someone, and hurt three in the process.

Ichigo felt like throwing his chair against the wall. What all of them saw in him was a mystery. He wasn't anything special.

As far as Ichigo perceived himself he was a rather normal guy. Aside from the spirit seeing, stuff he wasn't anything exceptional for a human. He had good grades, and was quite fit, but so were a multiple of other guys at his school.

It was not like the girls weren't speaking to, or even crushing on any other guys in his school…

Right?

"Goddamn it." Ichigo mumbled under his breath.

"What's the problem?"

"My complicate- GYAH!" Ichigo almost jumped out of his skin when he realized he wasn't alone.

Predictably Yoruichi managed to sneak in, and her shit eating grin indicated that it gave her a lot of satisfaction to scare him.

There went the peace he wanted.

"Yen for your thoughts, Ichi-boo?"

'You, among others...' Ichigo thought, closing his eyes. "You see this pile, right? That." Ichigo lied. In any other circumstanced he would seek her advice, but not in this matter as she was directly connected to it.

Yoruichi narrowed her eyes pursing her lips. Ichigo still had a long way to go before he would be able to fool her.

The boy in question knew that she did not buy it. Hell he hoped that she would just let it go.

Yeah, keep dreaming.

With lighting speed her finger was below his chin, raising it so she could look deeply into his eyes.

She leaned in so close that Ichigo thought that she was about to kiss him again.

He gulped nervously as her golden cat-like eyes peered into his, captivating him on the spot. His cheeks turned red when he felt her warm breath on his face.

"Why I don't believe you?" Yoruichi's voice was like velvet, drawing Ichigo to unconsciously start closing the gap between them.

His brain turned off as he recalled the feeling of her warm, soft lips, and the yearning for more.

The purple haired beauty noticed his actions, and felt that she was on the verge of capturing his heart. Just one more kiss and Ichigo would be hers, and hers alo-

KNOCK KNOCK!

"Commander-Sama." A dark skinned man, with similar cat-like yellow eyes entered the room. "Whoops... I'll come back later." Aoba turned on his heels when he saw the positing Ichigo and Yoruichi were in.

"Great more gossip material." Ichigo mumbled, snapping out of his stupor, but blushing madly.

"Who was that?" Yoruichi asking with shock written all over her face.

"My newest recruit Midora Aoba, why do you ask?" Ichigo replied, not sure why she was so surprised.

"And where did you find him?"

"In Rukongai district, 80th if I remember correctly." Ichigo noticed her frown deepening. "Is everything alright?" He asked gently.

"No, because I just found one of my clansmen... probably a bastard." She told him with a sigh.

"Wait what?!" Ichigo exclaimed standing. "I thought he looked bit similar to you, but I thought that was a coincidence..."

"Tell me how many yellow eyed, dark skinned people have you seen in the Soul Society outside the Shihoin Clan?" She asked with an exasperated sigh.

"Not many."

"Yeah, it's kinda our trademark. While the shade of the skin can very from light brown to almost black, the eyes are a dead giveaway that a person came from our clan. I might even know who his father..."

"Who?" Ichigo's sudden interest made her snort.

"My idiot brother Yamazaki… The kid is almost a carbon-copy of him when he was younger." Her face saddened. "The bastard probably impregnated some low-born girl, and threw her out so he wouldn't be shamed by having a bastard son." Ichigo looked at her with horror. "Don't be so surprised, he's rotten to the core." Ichigo looked at her with sadness.

"Must've been hard having brother like that." She nodded.

"You can't even image…" She mused. "Sooo? How about we get back to what we were doing?" She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"I have a meeting soon..."

'Predictable...' Yoruichi mentally sighed. Well she would have other chances. "I'll walk you there." Ichigo opened his mouth to protest, but Yoruichi was faster. "Stop complaining. After your last stunt, it would be even more suspicious if we avoided each other."

"F-Fine, in some twisted way you're right." He admitted, turning scarlet again. Resigning himself to that decision he spruced himself up and they left his office side by side. Each and every single Shinigami they passed either looked at them intriguingly, or began gossiping as soon as they passed.

Outside was no different.

"Every single one of them..." Ichigo mumbled with a scowl when they passed a pair of female Shinigami giggling behind their backs. "You really are enjoying this, aren't you?"

Yoruichi could barely keep a straight face.

"Not in the slightest. Why would I enjoy your extremely amusing embarrassment?" She even managed to say without breaking her poker face.

"Because you're a sadist."

"Gasp! How dare you!"

Their lopsided banter continued all the way up to the 1st Squad HQ.

"Now be nice, and I'll see you later, Ichi-boo." She finished with very pleasant purr, promising...well...

"Y-Yeah see ya." He stammered. 'Will that ever stop working on me?' He was halfway up the large staircase when a stray thought finally broke his worrisome chain. 'Need to install a lift too… what the hell. I'm just gonna fly.' He jumped an amazing distance, and landed softly on the pavement in front of the HQ. He was about to enter the building when the voice called out to him.

"Kurosaki-san." Unohana greeted him.

"Hello, Unohana-san." Ichiogo replied with a smile. Unohana returned it, somehow managing to not look scary... yet.

"So Kurosaki-san how have you been?" Unaware, poor Ichigo was walking right into her trap.

"Fine thanks. Luckily nothing overly interesting has happened recently." He shrugged.

"So you have some free time then?" She asked, and sadly Ichigo took the bait hook, line, and sinker.

"Yeah, sometimes I don't know what to do with…." It only took one look at her expression. 'F.U.C.K.' aka Finally Unohana Caught Kurosaki. 'What I've done!'

"Excellent, because I wanted to teach you some medical Kidō. So come visit me in two days, and we'll get started." Ichigo started to sweat.

"On the other hand…"

"Remember two days, Kurosaki-san." Her aura suddenly became deadly, leaving little choice left to be made.

'Damn it's like under that nice exterior sleeps a merciless killer from the past. Just waiting for a chosen person to awake her in final duel to death in the underground…. where the hell did that come from?' He shook his head "But how do you know that I even have a talent for medical Kidō?"

"I spoke with Hachigen-san." She replied. "He told me that you're already on par, if not better, than him in that area."

'Note to self: Kill Hachi.' He forced a smile, or more like clenched his teeth so it resembled a smile. "I'm sure he's exaggerating."

"I guess I will find out… personally." The last part made him feel like a baby chicken that was spotted by the hawk.

"Sure…" He choked. She smiled again and patted his back. "I'd love to."

"Don't worry we will have lots of fun." Ichigo felt like crying right then and there.

After a brief silent walk the two Captains and met up with the rest in the main building. They all greeted the two with varying hello's, the exceptions of course were the uninterested Mayuri and pissed off SoiFon. The later was staring at Ichigo with so much venom that the orange haired boy was afraid that he would drop dead on the spot.

He was kind of aware that his last actions with Yoruichi would set her off, but surely it couldn't be that bad...

* * *

Flashback 2nd Division HQ; After Yoruichi and Ichigo's spar

"Grrraaaa!" A chair flew into the wall…or rather pierced through it, and almost hit the unfortunate Vice-Captain Omaeda. The man paled and turned on his heels, running for his life. The report he was about to give quickly forgotten. "That son of a bitch!" SoiFon yelled, destroying yet another piece of furniture.

Her office WAS nicely decorated. The floor was made of light colored wood. The walls were painted in white color with drawings of various kanji. In the center of the room, like in every other office, stood a wooden desk, also made of light colored wood. There was also once a chair…. The room had a big panoramic window letting the rays of sun inside, making the whole room brighter and a nicer place to work. Now without the glass even more light could get in...

Currently most of the furniture and walls were destroyed. Large gashes could even be seen on the floor. The office had to be literally built from scratch…again. The situation had repeated several times in the previous weeks. The random bursts of anger really frightened the members of special ops. So much that most of them volunteered to do the most ungrateful jobs in Soul Society, like taking the trash out or escorting supplies only to run away from the barracks.

Omaeda, despite his appearance, was a smart man. He'd been saving his vacation for years, and now was the perfect occasion. He sent a lower raking officer to deliver the message that he was taking his vacation. The poor messenger had to visit 4th Division barracks. Sadly when Omaeda got back she was still at it.

"HOW DARE HE DEFILE YORUICHI-SAMA'S LIPS!" Cracks started to appear on the walls. SoiFon furiously stabbed a little doll that resembled Ichigo with a needle. She could vividly recall that this uncivilized brute dared to sexually assault her beloved Yoruichi-sama, defiling her purity. How he laid on top of the frightened Goddess of Flash, unleashing his sickening urges and desires upon her innocent body.

SoiFon growled in frustration, punching another hole in the wall. She needed to calm down. She had a meeting in a hour. There was no way that she would let them know how much he got under her skin.

Flashback End

* * *

Ichigo mentally sighed, he just couldn't understand the open resentment she was giving him. In his entire Shinigami carrier they had even barely spoken. Just after he was promoted, she started to hate his guts. It escalated when his 'relationship' with Yoruichi went public. He guessed that that was the main reason for her distaste. The best thing to do would be to ignore her. If Tia was ever discovered he would need some sort of standing within the Captains to push his point of view.

Antagonizing one of them would surely not work in his favor.

"Yo Ichigo." Shinji said walking up to him with his usual grin.

'God damn it what now?' He forced a smile. "Hey wassup?"

"I should be asking you. Hell after that show you gave the Soul Society was literally buzzing with gossip."

"Oh come on it was nothing. You're all reading way too much into it." Ichigo waved off his concerns.

Shinji's eyes gleamed.

"Yeah right. I'm sure if the two of you were all alone…" Ichigo blushed. "The sparring would be much more… intense."

"Jealous?" Ichigo grinned. There were only a few people he allowed to mock him. "Hiyori pales in comparison, eh?" Shinji sputtered.

"And why the hell would you bring her into the conversation!?"

"No reason at all. Just proving a point." Ichigo smirked smugly.

Shinji scowled at him

"We're not a couple you block head! And besides I could have any woman I wanted!" The blonde declared.

"Prove it."

"Fine!" He quickly shut up when Ichigo's smirk gained very devilish edge. The orange haired boy leaned and whispered into his ear.

"Unohana." Shinji paled.

"I yield." He replied instantly, making Ichigo laugh. "Damn. Since when did you get so good at verbal battle."

"Well I learned from the best." Ichigo boasted

"Is that the only thing you learn from her? Or maybe she taught you some other... practical uses for that tongue?" Ichigo mimicked a gold fish expression. Shinji smiled triumphantly. "So tell me, what do the two of you do after the spar?" Now all the Captain's attention was on them, discreetly of course. Especially SoiFon's...

"I-It's none of your business." He stuttered.

"Awww come on, you had the Goodness of Flash all to yourself. Spill." Shinji almost laughed, but he still wanted to get him for his earlier humiliation. "Have you showed her the secrets of the legendary Kido Commander?" Ichigo was now beat red, unable to form a sentence. All of the Captains were awaiting his next statement.

"What I do, and with who, is none of your business." He choked, embarrassed as hell. Shinji smiled smugly. The rest of them chuckled, except SoiFon and the uninterested Mayuri. She was now red with anger.

'How dare he…' A low growl escaped her throat. Shinji's head turned in her direction.

"You want to say something, Captain SoiFon?" Ichigo rolled his eyes. The simple gesture finally made her snap.

"I really don't get it!?" She seethed. "Why the hell did we even let this lowly Ryoka here?"

"Because he's a Captain, duh." Shinji replied.

"Exactly my point! In no way should he have such a prestigious title or position! It's to much of an honor and responsibly for such a brat." And Ichigo snapped right back. He wanted to be patient, and above it, but such an open insult would not stand.

"The hell is your problem with me?!" He raised his voice. "Ever since I was given this job, you've done nothing but insult me, and undermine my position. What the hell did I ever do to you?"

"Where to start!" She spat. "When you first showed up you caused havoc and chaos in Soul Society!"

"You tried to execute my friend, which was set up by Aizen, so bite me." He snorted.

"Then what about…" She gritted her teeth.

"About what? The Bounts? Amagi? The Zanpaktou rebellion? Or maybe Aizen? Every time something has happened in the Soul Society it was because of a traitor in your ranks. So don't blame me for putting out your fires. What on earth is the special ops good for if they aren't preventing things like that?" He interjected. "Isn't that your job?"

"Are you saying that I'm incompetent?!" She inhaled and exhaled, trying to keep her temper in check.

"Looking at the record since I've known about the Soul Society, I don't think that incompetent is a suitable enough word."

"Says the most incompetent mongrel around. It's a wonder that your squad is still standing." Mayuri spoke rolling his eyes, earning a massive scowl from Ichigo.

"At least I don't turn my own men into living bombs." The boy shot back, surprising the mad scientist. "What? You thought I didn't know? It's really strange that scum such as yourself get away with shit like that." Mayuri growled.

"And what evidence do you have? The word of a Quincy, and a human girl!" Ichigo grinned.

"I never said that they told me about it… So you're telling me that they actually saw this?" Ichigo, with sadistic pleasure, noticed that the pale Captain looked around nervously before composing himself. The other Captains looked at him with disgust.

"We're not talking about Captain Kurotsuchi's methods, but your irrational anointment." SoiFon intervened.

"Then complain to the Captain-Commander and Central 46! Do you think I enjoy filing the never ending mountain of paperwork in my free time?" Most of the Captains nodded. "I didn't even want the job! I would've resigned by now if I didn't feel responsible for my men."

"That's another thing. You are turning your division into a garbage dump." She snorted.

"What?!" Ichigo eyes narrowed.

"I know about your little escapade into the Rukongai, and what you brought back with you." She looked down on him "Bringing thieves, beggars, and whores…. champion solider material, Kurosaki." SoiFon shook her head.

"None of them are like that!" He yelled. 'Except for Kurai but she had a good reason to rob me.' His anger rose inside, despite his best efforts. "They are all hard working, resourceful, and honest. Which in and of itself is miracle considering the environment they were raised. I couldn't ask for better men." He told her in spiteful pride.

"Tsk. The best they would be good for is Hollow food." She replied with arrogance. Suddenly the temperature dropped below sub-zero. All eyes turned to Ichigo, who was literally oozing with dark cold Reiatsu. His head was hung and his fists clenched tightly.

"Care to repeat that?" He said slowly in a bizarrely calm tone.

"I said…." She started, but was interrupted.

"I want you to really consider you're next words carefully, because they might be your last." The gaze he gave her was filled with barely contained fury. His golden irises were glowing, accentuated with his darkened expression, and twisted snarl alerted the room. All present knew that someone being devoured by a Hollow was a very touchy subject to Ichigo. They knew it wasn't wise to push that certain button of his. Sadly SoiFon had to push her luck.

"I said they are only good to be a Hollow's-" Only thanks to her well-honed reflexes and years of battle experience, did she manage to block the vertical slash of Ichigo's sword. She might be more agile and comparatively faster than him, but in terms of raw strength they were worlds apart. The brutality of the slash made her drop to a knee. He was almost merciless on the strength behind it.

'So strong!' She was about to jump from under his sword when he pointed his two fingers at her forehead. To her utter terror a ball of red energy started to form at the tip of his fingers. The other Captain's were briefly stunned by the audacious act.

'Cero!?' They thought in unison.

"Oj, Oj calm down Ichigo!" Shinji walked up to him, worried that his friend might do something rash. A quick glance around the room had varying Captains readying their weapons in response. The situation was quickly heading into dangerous territory, and Shinji felt he better diffuse it quick. He was about to grab Ichigo's shoulder, when someone forestalled him.

A lean, tanned hand grabbed his forearm. Ichigo turned his head and saw her pleading yet firm yellow eyes.

"Ichigo, don't do this." She told him in a gentle voice.

"Let me go!" He growled at her. She cringed a little at his cold tone, but stood firmly.

"Ichigo it's not like you to get so angry over something this childish… or to kill someone in cold blood…" He looked into her serious eyes, seeing a remorse in them. He was doing something that might have created a rift between the two. SoiFon was important to Yoruichi, and harming her would hurt the Goddess of Flash in the process.

That couldn't be allowed. Ichigo closed his eyes and took a deep breath, dissipating the Cero. Yoruichi gave him a gentle squeeze, offering a small grateful smile.

"Captain SoiFon, this is your last warning. I don't understand why you can't just can't accept me as a part of Gotei 14, and frankly I don't care. The next time you pull something like this I won't hesitate, and no one will stop me. Consequences be damned. From now on don't speak to or even look my way. Ignore me and I will do the same, got it?" She nodded dumbly, still shocked with what occurred. "Make sure she understands that I'm not kidding." Ichigo says to Yoruichi, and purple haired beauty nods. He was about to say more, when the door to the meeting room opened.

"Thanks, Yoruichi." She smiled at him, and then helped SoiFon to her feet. Before letting go she whispered few words to her former bodyguard.

"We are going to speak later." She hisses to her apprentice. SoiFon flinched at her tone, feeling a bead of sweat slide down her back. She wasn't sure if it was from Ichigo's attack or Yoruichi's threat.

"Someone's in trouble." Shinji sing sung quietly to himself.

When the Captains entered and sat in the respective chairs, the Captain Commander sent Ichigo a heavy look. The younger man huffed apologetically, causing the older man to sigh heavily.

After three hours Genryusai ended the meeting. The Captains emptied the room, Ichigo being one of the first. He was surprised to see Yoruichi waiting for him.

"Sorry about earlier… I just…" She put a finger on his lips.

"I know. Let's head to your HQ. We can talk there." They left the 1st Division in a flash.

* * *

Human World, Eden Hall

"Here you are sir, your drink." Tia handed a drink to the man.

"Thanks… how about I buy you a drink sweetheart?" Tia mentally sighed. Her employer was right when he said that the men would attempt to buy her drinks. This was the sixth one this night, and she shift had just begun.

"I'm sorry, but It's against the rules to drink while working." The men made a sad face, and went back to his table. 'At least this one didn't try to ask me out.' She sighed and went about cleaning glasses.

"Is everything alright Tia-san?" Her employer, Ryuu Sasakura, asked.

"Why do you ask?" She replied, surprised that he noticed her supposedly well hidden distress.

"Well, you lack your usual energy, and you seem to be deep in thought." He watched her with concern. "If you want to talk about something, I'll listen." He offered with a charming smile.

"It would take some time to explain everything." She shook her head, not wanting to impose.

"You know what, we will close early today and then we can talk. Is that ok with you?" He told her.

"I'm not sure if we should. After all it's your business, and you have to earn money."

"Money isn't everything. Besides what kind of employer would I be if I ignored the plight of my only employees?"

As promised, Ryuu closed the bar half an hour early, even if it was still half past twelve PM.

They sat at the opposite sides of the counter. Tia looked at the gently smiling man, feeling a bit silly. Ryuu was nothing short of a gentleman, and she instinctively knew that she could trust him. Seeing him work and how he helped his customers with their own problems was really inspiring. He demanded nothing in return, except of course the payment the drink.

He was a rare kind soul.

"I don't know where to start." She admitted.

"Perhaps from the beginning." Tia smirked at this insightful, yet simple advice.

"There is a boy..." Tia cringed at how much of a clichéd beginning it was. Ryuu was silent, yet his eyes glimmered with amusement. Not of malicious kind at least. In his line of work it was rare to see young love. "I think that I'm..." She paused feeling embarrassed all of sudden.

"In love with him?" He offered.

"Yes... I guess I am." She told him quietly. "The problem is that I'm not the only one. There are three others to my knowledge."

The bartender rose an eyebrow. Whoever this guy was, had to be the luckiest man on the earth if women like Tia were after him.

"Each one of them is smart, strong, beautiful, and have known him far longer than I have..." Tia did not want to add the part about her troubled past. He would not understand.

"I fail to see the problem. Aside from the length of your acquaintance you fill all those criteria. Well I do not know what kind of strength you mean, but you lack none of those Tia-san. It does not matter how long you know a person. For a lifetime men and women friends can be just that, friends. A stranger can become as close to you as that in the span of a month given the right setting." He smiled.

"I'm not that sure… it's that they're so much better, and have more to offer to him."

Ryuu frowned.

"Tia-san if I may be so bold. You are an amazing woman, and for the few months you've spent here, my opinion of you is only rises. I won't pretend to know why you think of yourself as such in this competition, but you have a lot to offer. Do not let whatever happened in your life stop you from achieving happiness."

Tia sighed.

"That's easy to say of course, but that's what I really believe in too. I'd love to see you happy, and I wish that at least something I said will help you."

"But what if he rejects me? Won't it ruin what I have with him now?" Tia pressed.

"If only a quarter of what you told me about Ichigo-san is true, then I sincerely doubt it. Yes it might become a little awkward, but he won't abandon you."

Tia pondered that. In hindsight it was obvious.

"Thank you Ryuu-san... I think that I know what I have to do." She managed to muster a smile.

"I'm glad that I could help. See you tomorrow, Tia." Ryuu said his goodbye, and began cleaning the counter. Tia left with a new found hope, and returned home with his words and the future buzzing around in her head.

Unfortunately the soothing shower and comfortable bed had little effect to still these thoughts. When she finally dared to look at the clock it was 3:04 AM. Tia sighed. She really wanted rest, but her mind simply refused to give up. Everything just seemed to wanted an answer then and there.

'Would you just stop doubting yourself for just a second?' Tiburon sighed. 'Just listen to what that man said, and screw Berry-boy's brains out when he gets back!'

'Do you have only ever think of that one thing in your empty head?' Tia heard her Zanpaktou laugh.

'Excuse me it's our empty head Tia.' Tiburon snorted.

'Oh come one Ti-chan you got to admit that our idea with the sexy nightwear was a jackpot! At the very least we know that he's not gay!' Ningyo chuckled in mirth.

'Why do I have to suffer with such a perverted Zanpakuto and Hollow?' Tia mused, feeling like face-palming.

'Maybe because I'm essentially your repressed desires?' Tiburon supplied.

'I do not have repressed desires!' Tia protested.

'Oh yeah then what about the morning when you felt Ichigo's little Zanpaktou pressing against your butt. Though calling it little would be rather inaccurate and hurtful to Ichigo.' Ningyo purred lustfully, making Tia blush.

'Yummy! I remember that, if I was in control then…' Tiburon moaned. 'He would have the best wake up of his life!'

'Can you stop talking about his…his…' Tia felt her cheeks start to burning, as her inner souls had a field day with her imagination.

'Dick? Member? Spear? Sword?... Naginata?' Ningyo licked her lips.

'Ningyo!' Tia exclaimed mortified. 'Have at least some shame!'

'Tsk, says the kettle. Have you seen your Inner Hollow? I still remember your dirty little thoughts when Lisa offered to have sex with Ichigo.'

'S-Shut up!' Tia briefly wondered if she could start bleeding from embarrassment. Thank goodness she was alone in the room and it was dark. 'Besides we don't even know if he feels the same...'

'Sure. That's why he always turns his back to you when you sleep together. Aside from the fun factor, he often steal a glaces at you when he thinks that you're not looking.'

'Sounds like attraction to me.' The Zanpakuto supplied. 'I mean come on!'

'I'm to tired to deal with this now. We'll speak tomorrow.' Tia yawned, finally feeling the sleep she sought.

* * *

Soul Society, Ichigo's office

"What were you still doing there?" Ichigo asked awkwardly.

"When I heard Unohana calling you I thought that things might get interesting… and boy was I right." She looked at him with concern. "Are you alright?"

"SoiFon is just rubbing me the wrong way. I didn't do anything, and yet she hates me." He sighed.

"Well she really can hold a grudge." She chuckled, recalling her last fight with the fiery Captain.

"But what grudge? I haven't done anything to her!" Ichigo complained.

"Calm down tiger. You might not have done anything directly to her, but indirectly… that's a whole nother story. It's just a wild guess, but I think she may be pissed, because you were the one that defeated Aizen, and not her."

"Oh come on. In that case whole Gotei 14 should be pissed at me. Aizen kicked their collective butts after all." Ichigo rolled his eyes.

"He kicked my butt too… maybe I should be angry too, hmm?" Yoruichi moved closer, looking coyly into his eyes.

"…but you're not a person to hold petty grudges, are you? Beside I still remember the beating you gave him." Ichigo stammered, breaking eye contact.

"Oh? You remember only the beating and not my battle suit? Shame on you." Ichigo's cheeks colored when images of Yoruichi's skimpy outfit flashed before his eyes. Of course she noticed. "Oh so you do remember! So how'd you like it? Even Aizen said that my legs looked special." She boasted.

"He said that those protectors were special, not your legs." He mumbled. A vein popped on her forehead. She grabbed his nose and squished it painfully.

"Are you implying that my legs aren't special, huh?!" She twisted his nose.

"Of course your legs are special, now let go!" She did, and Ichigo started to massage his swollen nose. "Getting back on topic… she 0had it coming Yoruichi."

"I guess that comment about your men being Hollow food pushed you off the edge." She sighed, shaking her head.

"You think? Didn't help it brought back a ton of bad memories. How can she even consider people to be Hollow food? Yes there are scumbags out there, but look at their situation. Most of those people are good, but their lives suck."

"She is ignorant about some things..." Yoruichi tried to weakly defend her student.

"Ignorant? That's a really nice way to put it. She's a stuck up bitch with a superiority complex. Funny considering she isn't even good at her own job." Yoruichi giggled at the oh so serious seventeen year old telling people with decades of experience how to get the job done properly.

"Yoruichi." His tone was serious. "Next time she pulls a stunt like that, she's not coming out of it unscathed."

The easy mood suddenly evaporated as the Goddess of Flash realized that he wasn't joking.

"Would you still kill her if I asked you not to?" She looked at him sternly. Ichigo met her gaze with grim determination, which seriously worried Yoruichi. "What is happening to you Ichigo? You were never this... aggressive. Is something wrong?"

"Is it that obvious?" He snarked venomously, then sighed as he thought better of himself. "Sorry about that." He relented and sat back in his comfy chair.

"I'm just getting a tired of all this." He spread his arms. "The division, the fact that I have to live up to everyone's ridiculous expectations, constantly being judged for every move I make. Not to mention keeping Tia's cover intact." He let out a long breath, before running a hand through his hair. "I haven't even lived a quarter of most of the other Captain's lives. What am I really here for, other than to keep me under thumb and out of trouble."

"Ichigo... I know it's hard, but you are doing well for what they thrust you into." Yoruichi added with a sympathetic smile. She needed to have a chat with Kisuke and Tessai. Even she forgets that Ichigo is a human teenager, and this might be too much for him to handle. Hachi helped him immensely during most of the dirty work, but Ichigo absolutely refuses to push everything on the pink giant. She saw that he was putting effort and dedication in his job, despite being as he said young and inexperienced. Not to mention this blood feud with Kurotsuchi and SoiFon was not helping at all.

Yoruichi guessed that she really had to discipline her first apprentice. While the mad scientist was out of her reach, she still had a great deal of influence over SoiFon. Enough at the least give Ichigo some breathing room.

"You can handle this. I believe in you." She put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "So would you harm her if I asked you not to?" Ichigo looked at her for a moment. She had a joking edge, but he could still feel that she was worried about his answer.

"I guess not… maybe a little." A tired mischievous smile played on his lips. She pouted, but smiled nevertheless. "You know if you need help with anything... and I mean anything." She winked. "Just call."

"Y-Yeah."

"Okay then. See ya soon." She flashed him a grin and disappear. Leaving Ichigo alone in his office.

Well not really alone as the pile of paperwork was still there.

"Maybe it will disappear if I ignore it."

* * *

SoiFon's Office

"Damn him! Damn him! Damn him!" SoiFon chanted, fury fueling every fiber of her body. "How dare he humiliate me like that!" She gritted her teeth almost to the cracking point.

"Ara nice mess you have here." A voice boomed behind her. She spun around, delivering a rotary kick, but it was easily blocked. "Chill SoiFon, it's just me." Yoruichi grinned at her from her sitting position on her desk. It was really the only place to sit considering the damage done earlier.

"Forgive me, Yoruichi-Sama." She bowed in apology, turning scarlet. Because of this barbarian her beloved Yoruichi-sama had seen her in this less than appropriate state. Another slight that boy has done against her.

"Like I said chill. I have to speak to you…" Her smile faded, replaced by a frown. "What's your deal with Ichigo?" SoiFon's previous anger returned double time.

"My deal with him is that he's an irresponsible brat. He has no sense of duty or honor, and insults our tradition." She took a deep breath. "He's arrogant, self-centered, and naïve."

"Once more who are you talking about?" Yoruichi asked, checking her nails. "Because none of that apply to him…well maybe he doesn't care about Soul Society traditions, but neither do I really. He may be a little immature sometimes, but he's barely eighteen so it's given." She furrowed her eyebrows. 'Great now I fell like a cradle robber.'

She sighed. "Ichigo is a person who is loyal to the fault to those he cares about, and would go to hell and back to save them. He's a very responsible person, and right now he's probably filing the mountain of crappy paperwork he needs to catch up on."

"But…" She tried to argue, but Yoruichi continued unperturbed.

"Really he's one of the most selfless people I have ever met, and don't mistake his arrogance with confidence. SoiFon I am really disappointed with you." She scolded the shorter woman. "How could you even say that someone is only good to be Hollow chow? Isn't our job to protect others from Hollows? And here you are insulting people who want to do this job to save others. Besides that you know very well what happened to Ichigo's mother… I thought you were wiser than this."

"I could have defeated him." She shot back, missing the point entirely. Yoruichi shook her head in exasperation. "He's just a brute without any finesse!"

"I doubt it. He could probably break your Zanpakto's powers, just like Aizen." Yoruichi warned, but SoiFon just laughed.

"Oh please Yoruichi-Sama. He's nothing like that traitor. He doesn't even possess a quarter of his power." She stated. The brown skinned woman rose her eyebrow.

"You do know that he's recently got better at hiding his Reiatsu? I'd guess that by now his Reiatsu is about five times larger than yours." Yoruichi told her in a deadly serious tone. "You never were a powerhouse SoiFon, preferring finesse over power, but with a difference that large he could easily nullify your attacks. And nothing short of your Bankai could harm him." She stood up grabbing SoiFon by the shoulders. "Listen today I was barely able to talk him out of seriously injuring you. I don't want to chose between you two SoiFon. He is capable and willing from what we have seen today. For your own good please give him some space!" Yoruichi almost begged.

"He's a threat to the Soul Society! A lowly Ryoka who is out of control, even given the honor of a Captain's position. He even wanted to bring those damn Arrancars here!" SoiFon clenched her fists.

'Already testing waters for Tia's eventual discovery? Impressive.' Yoruichi thought with no small amount of surprise.

"You're only defending him because you have some sort of bizarre attraction to him!" She accused pointing her finger at her mentor.

"I admit that I like him, but if you would take your head out of your ass for just a moment, you could see how great a person he is!" Yoruichi felt her patience wearing thin.

'So he deluded her as well… don't worry Yoruichi-Sama. I will show you evidence of how dangerous he is as soon as I get it.' She sighed. "We obviously won't agree on this matter."

"Then promise me that at least you'll stop provoking him. I don't want to see my precious students fight." Yoruichi looked deeply into SoiFon's eyes, seeing the latter resolve melt. SoiFon's love for her teacher made her agree, if only to put her mind at ease. Of course her pride and drive to save Yoruichi from the ryoka beast only grew.

"Fine… I will just ignore him from now on." Yoruichi smiled, and hugged her.

"Thanks SoiFon-Chan! Trust me he's actually a good person under it all." She Shunpo'ed away.

SoiFon looked after her mentor, making a decision.

Kurosaki needed to be taken out before he sinks his filthy claws deeper into Yoruichi.

And she knew the perfect person who would willingly help her.

* * *

12th division HQ

"God damned simpleton brat, challenging me like that!" Kurotsuchi seethed in his laboratory filled with mysterious devices. "Kido Corps Commander my ass. The fool simply got lucky that there was one empty spot to fill grrr." He snarled, breaking his desk with his pounding fist. "Fifth desk this month!"

"Need a hand?" A voice suddenly asked from behind him.

"Who dares to sneak in here!?" Kurotsuchi shouted spinning around while drawing his sword.

"It's just me Mayuri." SoiFon scoffed coming out of shadows, with a smug smile on her face.

"What the hell do you want, woman?" He snapped perturbed by the uninvited guest.

"Like I said, I want to help you to get rid of our mutual pest." She replied coldly. "He's a danger to the Soul Society and everything we stand for. Listen I've talked with certain people, and they also aren't happy that some former Ryoka was promoted to the Captain rank, not to mention a commoner."

"Tsk that barbarian Zaraki is a lowest of the low commoner, and I don't hear them bitching about him." Kurotsuchi shot back. "So excuse me if I don't believe that some group of nobles will be able to help."

"Zaraki was promoted to Captain by defeating the previous Zaraki with two hundred witnesses. While I don't agree with that method of choosing Captains, we cannot go against the orders of the Soul King himself. However there is a way to demote him." SoiFon pointed out.

"How so?" He inquired, his interest peaked.

"You really should get out of your lab sometimes and listen to people." She told him.

"As far as I'm concerned that's your role, so explain." Mayuri was never fan of pointless banter.

"Fine fine. No need to be so snappy." She growled. "Central 46 can remove a Captain from his position if he commits a major crime of sorts... for example killing a member of Central 46, or a high born noble without a valid reason."

"How do you plan to blame the eventual murder on him? He's a moron, but he's not so dumb as to kill anyone without a good reason."

"That's where you come in. I've been thinking on it for a while, and if you can get him unstable enough, it might work in our favor." SoiFon stated, folding her arms.

"What do you mean by "unstable"?" Now the mad scientist was genuinely interested.

"I mean his inability to control his Hollow powers. You felt how irregular his Reiatsu is. Shifting from one side to the other. If something could upset the balance even further…" She left the last part hanging.

"I see. If something caused him to go berserk." His smile almost split his face. "It will take time to make the necessary preparations and proper testing, but it can be done."

"Good. Now I will need you to keep surveillance on him 24/7, here and in Human World." SoiFon added to the plan. Kurotsuchi moved to his large computer and began typing. After a moment he stopped, watching the screen intently.

"What's the matter?" SoiFon asked.

"Interesting... it seems that our common target is in the Northern Rukongai, District 80 at the moment." He told her.

"What the hell is he doing there?" She asked surprised, as she looked at the same monitor. She couldn't fathom why he would go to that god forsaken place.

"I don't know. Maybe you should send some of your men to observe him." He proposed. "I will give them his coordinates in case he moves."

"Fine. I'm counting on you Mayuri in the matter we spoke about. After all it's for the sake of the Soul Society."

The rightful law and order will be restored. Even if few eggs had to be cracked.

* * *

Ichigo's Office, Evening

"It's finally done! Kami I hate this shit." He put the last piece of paper in the out pile. Standing and stretched, he felt his joints pop in his back with a crack. He scratched his neck. 'Now what to do with my remaining free time here? My men already finished their work… maybe I should wander for a bit. Never have had time to actually see the sights.'

Be it by stoke of luck or misfortune, Ichigo ended up in the entertainment district of the Soul Society. It was placed just behind the walls in Western District 1, and profited from Shinigami's spending their extra time there. It was already dark outside, so the district was bustling with activity. Drunk Shinigami practically filling the street. On his way he passed the red light district. The female 'workers' there waved to him, offering him their services, even for free, but Ichigo declined politely much to his Inner Hollow's plight. When he finally reached the bar/restaurant street he decided that a meal would be in order first.

He found an uncrowded stand serving food and entered.

"Welcome to Ichiraku Ramen!" And elderly man welcomed him. "Oh you're Ichigo Kurosaki, aren't you! Hero of the Soul Society!"

"Yeah... I am." He told him waving it off, feeling a bit embarrassed by the use of the title. "May I eat here?"

"But of course! And for the hero, it's on house!" He boomed. "Ayame come see who's blessed our humble business with his presence!" Ichigo felt his face change a shade of color. A young brunette girl came out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron.

"Dad stop…" Her eyes widened when she saw Ichigo. A blush soon followed, and she looked at him with sparkling eyes. "Can I get your autograph Kurosaki-Sama, please!" She begged suddenly handing him a pencil and a piece of paper, seemingly out of nowhere.

"Sure..." Ichigo chuckled sheepishly and wrote his surname in overly graphic manner.

"I will treasure it forever! Thank you so much!" She squealed. "What would you like to eat, Kurosaki-Sama?"

"Let's go with... ah! The house specialty, please." It only took him a second to read the menu, and that was certainly the most appealing.

"Ok! One special ramen coming up!" The old man smiled widely and headed into the kitchen with his daughter. Ichigo shook his head suddenly exhausted, being famous was really tiring. While he was waiting for his food, a surprising guest came up behind him.

"Odd seeing you out of your little hidey hole, Ichigo." Rukia bent at the hip to speak with him at his side.

"Hey Rukia, what's up?" He smiled at the raven haired girl. "You work on your weekends too?"

"Yes. After all I'm still a full time Shinigami." She replied taking a seat next to him.

"Odd to see you out and about in with the commoners." Ichigo stated, inferring it actually being a question.

"Oh I was just wandering around when I happened to spy your outlandishly colored hair." She lied smoothly.

* * *

Flashback , A week earlier, 13th Division Barracks

"God damn it!" Rukia sobbed while hugging her pillow. "Why did he have to almost kiss her!?" She was devastated when she had witnessed Ichigo and Yoruichi's spar. Or at least caught the end of it. "Is it because she has bigger breasts?! No... Ichigo isn't that shallow. So why!" She writhed on the floor, trying to not let that one, damning thought into her brain. That possibly Ichigo might, even just one percent, be attracted to Yoruichi.

Surely there had to be any, ANY other reason for him wanting to kiss her.

She just hadn't figured it out yet.

No matter. She had to make her move, and she has to do it next week when he comes to the Soul Society for his work. She just had to lay some groundwork at their school...

Flashback End

* * *

"Small world, isn't it? Want something to eat? I mean I'm sure your house cooks might appreciate the food served here, but it's my treat." Ichigo called out the owner, and Rukia ended up ordering the same meal as Ichigo. While waiting they talked and traded jabs, just like the times she was living with him. When the food arrived, they both dug in. After they finished Ichigo paid for their meal, despite the protests of the owner and his daughter, and they left the shop and headed down the street without any particular destination.

As they were walking random people stopped and started murmuring. Ichigo managed to catch some specific words.

"Kuchiki.", "Shihoin.", "Player", "Harem", "Lucky", "Bastard." He wasn't entirely sure how to react, being both embarrassed and angered by their gossiping.

"Hey let's get outta here and find someplace quite. These crowds are starting to piss me off." He whispered to her, unaware of how she interpreted his words.

"Sssssure I know a place… it's not far away from here." Rukia grinned inwardly. That was her chance. 'And no one will ever find us there ever!'

'Ugh why do I suddenly feel like I made a very bad decision… probably just my imagination.' Ichigo thought as he felt a shiver go down his spine. After a half hour of walking they ended in a forest, a very dark and ominous looking forest. Where surely no one would hear anything... at all.

A couple there would be completely alone, and no matter what happened there it would not come to light.

"Rukia... how far is this place?" He asked creeped out a bit by the atmosphere of the forest.

"A bit deeper into the forest. Just a bit deeper... Ichigo." She replied in an eerie tone. Suddenly the forest ended, and they were in a large open field, with a river cutting through it. The sky was cloudless, and the moon was shining brightly, illuminating the field and giving it a unique outlook.

"Wow... It's beautiful here." Ichigo commented, making Rukia smirk with glee.

"Welcome to the 13th Division training grounds. Come on there's a good spot over here." She lead him to a small hill with a tree on it. It gave them wonderful view of the grounds. Sitting on the lush grass, they contemplated the beauty of the nature in silence.

"What's with the long face, Rukia?" He asked breaking the silence, when he noticed the odd expression she was making.

"I was just remembering the person that showed me this place… it was my former Vice-Captain Kaien Shiba." She replied.

"What happened?" Ichigo asked, but felt that this would be a sad story. He wasn't wrong, Rukia really feel for the guy, and for him to die in such a... horrible way. Even worse his face was used by an Espada she fought back in Hueco Mundo.

"… and that's it." She fell silent, looking at the reflection of the moon on the river.

"That... couldn't have been easy." She nodded. "What was he like?"

Rukia's mouth widened in a warm smile as she recalled the man long gone.

"He was strong, courageous, and loyal to a fault. He was always thinking of others before himself, and he was also funny and intelligent."

"Sounds like a great guy." Ichigo told her.

"Yes, he was…. Ichigo listen," She gathered up her courage. "I have something to tell you." She looked deeply into his eyes, blushing despite her resolve.

Ichigo's innate panic mode activated. He knew that look.

'Oh no. Not Rukia too.' Ichigo gulped.

"We've known each other for such a short time, but I've realized that I have a feelings for you…. Ichigo… I love you." She leaned up, and pressed her lips to his. As always in these situations Ichigo found himself non-responsive. She pulled back, and looked up at him with anticipation. Ichigo opened his mouth few times, but his voice refused to come. He was totally speechless. What he was supposed to say?

Unfortunately Rukia couldn't take the tension any more.

"Well? Aren't you going to say anything?" She urged him impatiently.

"Rukia…. I…" He knew that this was a deciding moment in their friendship. He had to lay her down as gently as he could. "You're an amazing woman Rukia." He began, and instantly saw the devastating and sadness on Rukia's face. 'Great start Kurosaki.' He took a deep breath. "And you mean a lot to me, but... I don't feel the same towards you. Yes I care about you, but not in the way you do."

"Then why? Why did you go to such lengths to save me in the first place?" She almost yelled, jumping to her feet, and feeling her eyes threaten to spill tears.

"Because you are my friend." He replied simply, yet honestly.

"Can I only be a friend to you?" She choked, letting the tears fall. Ichigo stood up as it looked like Rukia might bolt.

"You aren't just a friend to me, you are precious to me, but I don't love you in the way you would like me to." He took a deep breath. "I-"

"Is it my looks!?" Rukia interjected suddenly, throwing Ichigo back on the defensive. "That's why you kissed Yoruichi, and sleep with that Hollow? They are prettier than me, that's it, isn't it?!"

"That's not it! Look... it's complicated!" Ichigo shot back, trying to find a repose find the right words. "The way a person looks don't really matter to me. I just don't... have those kind of feelings towards you. Please understand, I don't want to hurt you..." He ran his hand through his hair.

"But you're hurting me now!" She yelled, stamping the ground with her foot and throwing her fists down to her sides. "BAKA!"

"Then would you like me to say I love you just so your feelings aren't hurt!? Accept a relationship to keep our friendship, but never actually love you the way you want? Could you really be happy with that?" He replied trying to reason with her.

"But I could make you love me! It may take time but you would come to love me." She pleaded with hints of desperation entering her voice.

"You could, but I can't guarantee that I will ever return your feelings. It would leave you bitter and heartbroken. At that point you are just living to keep me happy, and change you into someone you are not. Besides I'm not sure you are even in love with me." He stated, shocking her silent for a moment.

"What are you talking about?" She choked out after staring at him. Surely she knew her own feelings better than him.

"Tell me what you love about me?" Ichigo asked seriously.

"Your courage, loyalty, protectiveness over your friends, your sense of humor, your intelligence..." She counted off, and would've gone on but was stopped by Ichigo.

"Those are exactly the same things you described about Kaien a minute ago. Rukia do Kaien and I look alike?"

"Yes." She mumbled after a long pregnant pause. There were similarities, but surely she wouldn't...

Ichigo nodded in recognition, hanging his head slightly for what he was about to explain. "Rukia you don't love me. You are just projected your feelings for him on me. I saw the way you looked when you were talking about him, how your eyes glimmered, your tone changed, your cheeks blushed." He stepped up to her and waited for her to look up in to his eyes. She did not meet them, keeping her head down. "I cannot give you the happiness you want… I am not Kaien, no matter how much I resemble him. Rukia..." He lifted her chin gently. "You have to move on, or you will never be happy." Her tear stained face, crumbled into realization and she quickly wrapped her arms around him, pressing her face into his chest.

"But I don't want to forget him." She mumbled into his chest. "He deserved better."

"You don't have to. Cherish those memories of him, but don't let them hold you back. Trust me. I know it's… it's hard to do it. I'm not sure if I'm completely over my own loses, but know this… find a person who truly loves you. Don't just keep looking for the past."

"But who? I thought that you liked me!?" She said looking up at him from his chest.

"I do... as a close friend. But I think I know someone… you just have to look around you." He told her with a sly smirk.

"Any hints?" She asked despondent but hopeful, managing to reign her tears in.

"You know him, and that's all I'm gonna say." Ichigo told her making her shake her head in annoyance. She didn't feel that way long, a fake smile gracing her, as she broke the hug and wiped away her tears.

"Thanks… for not leading me on, Ichigo. Clearing the air between us… hurt a lot, but... I think you are right. I just saw Kaien when I looked at you. And that wasn't fair to you." Rukia closed her eyes and took a few long calming breathes. "You've given me a lot to think about. I think I need some time alone for a while though. If you'll excuse me." She said in a neutral tone, and turned to leave without another word. He watched her walk away until she Shunpo'ed from sight.

Ichigo finally let out a sigh, and his knees buckled. He briefly sat on the grass, before just sprawling out on the cool earth. Doing that to Rukia drained him, emotionally and surprisingly physically. He didn't want to hurt her, but he knew this talk did, more than either of them wanted to admit. Looking at the night sky, he reflected on the bittersweet resolution.

'You handled that rather well Ichigo. ' Zangetsu spoke after a while.

'Yeah, but I don't feel all that good about it. If Rukia didn't bring up Kaien I may not have been able to make the connection. I'm glad I could make her realize, but it still hurt to see her like that.' Ichigo took a deep breath of fresh night air, trying to calm himself.

'Awww come on Kingy you coulda had another chick in you harem.' Hichigo whined.

'I'm not making a harem!' He protested.

'Yeah, sure you're not. We'll just have to wait for the next woman to get caught in your animal magnetism, I guess.' Hichigo laughed.

'Funny.' He deadpanned mentally. 'It's weird... I'm around plenty of beautiful women, but none of them give me the same feelings like Tia and Yoruichi. Shit... well I guess I can't really deny it anymore.' Ichigo smiled despite the comment.

'Yet a question remains. Which one will you choose?' Zangetsu inquired, making his smile flatline.

'Shit...' Ichigo sighed, trying to peacefully imagine the life with each one of them.

Both visions were rather pleasant.

'Oh come on! I vote for the one who's definitely in to the hot kinky sex stuff!' Hichigo laughed while raising his hand like a excited child. 'Hmmm. But they do say the quiet ones are wild in the sack too.'

'You sound a little too much like Kale right now.' Ichigo snapped at his Hollow. 'Could you really see her like that again?'

'I... would just be more persuasive than you.' Hichigo said in an unusually quiet voice.

'Don't think I've forgot what you tried to do to her.' Ichigo reminded him. 'Something about no one missing her... ring a bell?'

'But now it's different now! Ugh fine. I might been a little bit to radical then.' The Hollow growled, much to Ichigo's surprise.

'Did he just said that he wouldn't attack her?' The young Commander couldn't believe his ears.

'Yes, I believe he did.' Zangetsu affirmed.

'What changed?' Ichigo asked his Hollow, genuinely curious.

'You know very damn well. She's our property, and I like when our slaves are in high spirits. Something like that, coming from us… it would break her.'

'Well except for your usual assholiness, that's actually nice coming from you.' He took a moment to enjoy the peace and quiet before his mind wandered to his job. 'I'll have to remember this place the next time I wanna get away from things. But I guess I should be getting back. Way too much to do in the morning.' Standing he Shunpo'ed back to his HQ.

* * *

Next Day, Premises of the 4th Division

Ichigo was nervous, hell he was trembling. It was judgment day for him. His first lesson with Unohana was before him.

He looked at the two story high building. It was mostly made of white stone. The wooden roof was green, and around the building was a small park with trees and benches for patients to relax outside.

He slogged inside with a downcast expression. He actually had to will himself to push the doors open to enter the building. He walked through the long wooden corridor. On each side of it were numerous doors leading to a different section of the building. But his destination were the doors at the very end of said corridor. The one with the large insignia of the 4th Division. The doors to the Unohana's office. His walked stiffened as he drew closer to the doors. His hand was on the handle when he completely froze.

'I can still run, hide away in my HQ.' He was about to turn around when suddenly...

"Please come in Kurosaki-san." Unohana's voice boomed from behind the closed doors leaving no out now.

'Abandon all hope ye who enter here.' He recalled the fitting phrase from Dante's Divine Comedy. Ichigo inhaled and pushed the door open. The first thing he noticed, and was surprised by, was its look.

First of all it lacked a table where the Captains/Commanders traditionally did their paper work. Instead it had a low table, similar to a kotatsu. The walls were painted a light yellow color. Bookcases were placed all along the walls, taking whole length them. Instead of a window, the outer wall was replaced by large sliding doors, enabling the access a private garden.

In the garden were a few small ponds with fishes, and old bonsai tree's.

Unohana was currently sitting at the table drinking tea. Ichigo notice a second cup of steaming liquid waiting for him.

"Please sit, Kurosaki-san." He did, albeit somewhat reluctantly, much to her amusement. "I don't bite." He gave her a sheepish smile, then took a sip of his tea.

"Wow this is really good tea, Unohana-san." He complimented her, actually really enjoying the flavor.

"Thank you. I cultivated the tea myself. Now, if you'll please indulge me, tell me about your current level of healing Kido." She asked pleasantly.

"Well Hachi told me that I should be about at an average healer level. I can heal some major wounds on myself, but on someone else it takes a lot longer, and I'm not as capable." She nodded in an understanding way.

"Yes, it's much easier to heal yourself as you don't have to adjust your Reiatsu to do so. Hmmm, may I ask you a question, Kurosaki-san?"

"Of course."

"When did you get so good at Hakuda, and suppressing your Reiatsu?" She eyed him curiously over her tea cup.

'Crap.' He began to sweat. "Well I guess I learned a few things from practicing with Hachi and Yoruichi. I still no where as good as they are though." He smiled nervously, not telling whole truth.

"But your Hakuda style is dramatically different than Ms. Shihoin's, or even the academy taught style. It seems you've had a different teacher." Ichigo tried to keep the facade up, and give her a curious look.

"I've also picked up a few things in my fights. I've kinda had to adapt my own style since I didn't have traditional schooling on it." He played it smooth, but he knew that she could call his bluff.

"Is that right?" He nodded vigorously, praying for her to drop it. "I see, well then let's move to the clinic and start your lessons." His internal screaming subsided as her questioning seemed to halt for the moment. The duo made their way to a room filled with patients, mostly from the 11th Division. Ichigo found that he wasn't surprised by that

"Ok Kurosaki-san, please demonstrate your skills." She waved a hand to a random patient. The man looked like your typical Shinigami from the 11th… like a thug. The man had some minor scratches all over his body, but the most serious wound was a large gash on his chest. Ichigo decided he would start with there. Putting his hand to the man's chest, he began the healing process. His hands started to glow green. Soon, his wound began to heal, slowly but surely. When Ichigo finished with the major wound, he moved to the smaller ones and soon the man was as good as new.

"My I have to say I'm impressed, Kurosaki-san. I wasn't expecting you to be so far along." He beamed at her praise, even if he felt a bit awkward receiving it. "I think that such potential shouldn't be wasted… I think more lessons are in order."

"But..."

"Do you have any objections?" She asked sweetly. Suddenly everyone around him stopped and started to sweat bullets.

"No?"

"Wonderful. Let's proceed then." And for next few hours Ichigo learned some advanced medical Kido. Unohana decided to teach him as a combat medic. So it only included healing via Kido, and no conventional methods. But she also taught him about various medical herbs, as well as poisons, and how to counter them. When they finished it the sun was beginning to set.

"Didn't think I'd pick this up so easily, thanks Unohana-san." He bowed his head to her in thanks.

"The pleasure was all mine, and I look forward to next weekend too. We'll start early so as to cover more ground." She waved as he started to leave. "Farewell, Kurosaki-san."

"You too, see you around Unohana-san." Once he left the building he flash stepped to his office. Before he could even open the door he heard a ringing coming from inside. A second later he was at his desk opening a drawer. He pulled out the mobile phone he got from Urahara. The cell was special as it allowed calls between the Soul Society and Human World.

"Yes?" Ichigo answered curiously.

"Ichigo we need you back here now!" Urahara exclaimed, urgency in his voice."Yoruichi and Tia-san are fighting! And they are not holding back!"

"The Hell?! How did that happen?!"

"They both came here, and asked to use the underground. Then they just got into it." Urahara explained in a tone that said he was just as confused.

"Shit. Ok I'll be right there!" Ichigo ended the call, hurriedly dropped the phone in the drawer, and opened a Garganta. He jumped in without a second thought.

In the Dangai he transformed into Bankai to gain its speed boost. He saw the end of the tunnel surprisingly fast, and jumped into the underground training facility. The sight before him made time seem to a crawl.

* * *

Human World, Sunday

Tia was walking stiffly towards Urahara Shoten. She could already see it, but the closer the got the tighter her stomach knitted itself. She knew that this would be a determining point in her relationship with Ichigo. After school Yoruichi called her out to speak about Ichigo. Since it was getting more and more obvious that he wouldn't make an easy choice, action had to be taken. It was getting painfully obvious that Yoruichi was her biggest obstacle. Despite Inoue and Rukia also vying for his affection, he seemed to focus more on her and the cat.

So that left the two of them to "talk" things out.

Yoruichi was standing near the shop entrance, casually leaning against a wall. Actually it was Yoruichi's idea to meet here today and speak. Tia was not sure about what exactly, since ultimately it would be Ichigo's decision on who he would choose. Still she was intrigued with the possibility of removing one of her rivals from the race peacefully.

The Goddess of Flash noticed her, and their eyes met.

Teal to Yellow.

Yellow to Teal.

"Yo! Glad that you could make it." She greeted her casually.

"Hello. What did you want to speak about?" Tia asked, cutting right to the chase.

"Look we both know that Ichigo is slightly overwhelmed with all the attention he's been getting. He's a teenager after all. So how about we make things a tad easier on him?" Yoruichi suggested.

"How so?" Tia narrowed her eyes. As soon as their eyes met she knew a peaceful resolution wasn't in the cards.

"One of us has to give up..." Yoruichi said, idly checking her nails.

"Oh? And pray tell which one of us should it be?" Tia's voice was like razor's edge, ready to not back down.

"Ok let me be blunt here. Can you truly love him? Can an Hollow even feel love? Or is it just the primal urge of lust?" Yoruichi pushed off the wall and stared at her deathly seriousness. "If this's just a fling to you..."

"I could ask you the same thing." Tia replied, growing aggravated at this suggestion. She had been fighting with the same thoughts since she first started becoming attracted to Ichigo. "From what he's told me, and how you tend to act, I can guess that you have an "adventurous personality"." Her comment made Yoruichi scowl. "Ichigo saved my soul several times. He is the reason that I am alive today, and have a desire to live on. I owe him everything I have today, and for a while I thought that what I felt towards him was simply gratitude. Later on I realized that I want to make him happy, to wake up by his side every morning, just be at his side, and share my life with him."

"I can't deny there are... lustful urges, but I am not one to just give in to urges. I have worn myself to the point of sickness trying to decipher my feelings and desires. And no, I can't speak for every Hollow, but what I feel towards Ichigo is love, of that I am certain." Tia told her with a fiery passion, stunning the Goddess of Flash with her confession. "I ask again do you feel the same, or is it just a game to you?"

"If this was just a game, trust me, Ichigo wouldn't be a virgin anymore." Yoruichi shot back. "Do you really think so little of me that I would take his virginity, and go on my merry way?"

Tia hesitated. Ichigo respected Yoruichi immensely. So it was unlikely that she would lead him like that, but that didn't mean she didn't have reservations along those lines. "Ok... let's just cool down a bit. I'm sorry about the Hollow comment. It was incredibly rude of me to say." She apologized.

"To answer your question it took me a while to realize too. When I first met him I didn't think much of him. Just some loud-mouth brat with an overgrown... sword." She giggled. "But the longer I watched him, the more I saw what was hidden under that rough facade. A caring, gentle, and honorable young man. Who would give his life for the ones he cared for, and whats more just to help others. He's loyal to a fault and would never willingly people, even with all his power. A real rarity these days, let me tell you." Little did the two know that the last comment made them think of the same man, Aizen.

"Despite him being a bit on the young side, I believe that he will become an even greater man than he is now." She smiled dreamily. "Of course he would need a suitable woman to keep him in check. I want to be the one who will help him reach his full potential. To be there helping guiding and loving him." She chuckled perversely. "My reason may not be as soul deep as yours, but I have grown to care for him... heck love him. He'll be happy with me, I can guarantee it."

"Then it seems we're at an impasse." Tia sighed tiredly. She had to admit that this bubbling feud was tiring her as well.

'Let's do this Hollow style then!' Tiburon spoke. 'Let's take what is ours by force! If we defeat her then we'll prove than we're more worthy of him!'

'Ichigo won't like this... but it seems the only plausible way to settle our dispute.' Tia thought. She let out a sigh of frustration. If Ichigo ever found out about this... no this was probably the only chance she'll get to end this conflict. "Then let's settle it in a duel, winner takes it all." She stated crossing her arms.

"Ichigo won't like it." Yoruichi rose an eyebrow. She was a bit surprised Tia came to this decision. It was quite irrational for her, but Yoruichi had toyed with the same idea on more than one occasion herself. So this wasn't a back outcome.

"He doesn't have to know." Tia replied, even though she agreed with her reasoning.

"I like the way you think." She nodded."A good old fashion cat fight for a man. No hard feelings after, and no more pursuing him from the loser?" Yoruichi extended her hand.

"May the best win." Tia firmly shook the hand.

They both headed to the underground facility, dropping Tia's Gigai on the way. When they stood on the sandy ground they eyed each other for few seconds, waiting for the first move.

As if a silent whistle sounded the start they both charged forward, determined to best one another.

Tia swung her sword, which Yoruichi swiftly dodged, and punched her in her side sending the Arrancar flying. Before Tia landed Yoruichi appeared above her and delivered a devastating up-down kick. Tia crashed to the ground shooting up a fountain of sand.

"Maybe I went little overboard." Yoruichi swallowed her words when a yellow blade-like energy shot hit her abdomen painfully. She gasped, and was about to attack back, when she heard a booming sound behind her.

"Cero." Tia whispered firing a yellow Cero.

"Bakudō # 81. Dankū!" Yoruichi created a barrier, deflecting the attack. "Bakudō # 21. Sekienton!" A burst of red smoke covered the area, blinding Tia. She looked around only catching glimpses of Yoruichi's silhouette.

One lingered a millisecond too long and Tia charged at her. She slashed but cut only thin air.

"Bushin." Yoruichi whispered to her ear. Tia couldn't even turn around, when she felt a sharp pain in her back. She was now flying towards the earth with blazing speed. At the last moment she managed to regain her footing, forming a solid cushion of Reishi under her. She turned and looked at the cockily smiling Yoruichi.

'I won't win in my base form.' Tia's Reiatsu flared up around her. "Hunt! Tiburon!" A bubble of Reiatsu formed around her, and a second later her form was revealed to Yoruichi. The cat woman whistled.

"No wonder that Ichigo likes you. Naturally dressed like that… kinky." Tia blushed at her words, but didn't lost her composure.

"La Gota." She aimed her large Pata and fired fang shaped bullets. Yoruichi dodged them with ease.

"You will have to do better than that." She taunted, but Tia wouldn't take the bait. Still shooting her water bullets at her, Yoruichi flash stepped to her and engaged in close combat. Tia's speed wasn't a match for hers, by any means. Tia wasn't slow, but Yoruichi was on another level with her speed. She got through Tia's guard quickly.

"Taketonbo! (Bamboo Dragonfly)" Yoruichi grabbed Tia's armor, and violently flipped her upside down. Tia groaned when she hit the ground. Her well-honed instincts alarmed her of danger, and she quickly rolled back. Barely avoiding the foot hitting the ground where she was lying.

"Cascada!" Tia released a torrent of water point blank, not allowing Yoruichi a chance to dodge. The purple haired woman was blown away with the strong current. Tia directed the water so Yoruichi would hit a rock formation. She pushed more strength into the attack, making the rock crumble form the immense pressure. She looked over the now drowned battlefield, not seeing her opponent. Still she knew better that to drop her guard. She was aware that that wasn't nearly enough to put down someone of Yoruichi's caliber. As if to confirm this Yoruichi jumped from the rubble. He suit was torn in few places, but no major wound was visible on her.

"You got me there. That hurt like hell!" Yoruichi yelled.

"I intend to win this fight." Tia replied calmly.

"So do I!" She disappeared in the flash, and appeared above her. "Hadō no 91, Senjū Kōten Taihō!" Ten pink energy missiles surrounded Yoruichi, and launched towards Tia with terrifying speed. She managed to avoid all of them, but in doing so she fell to Yoruichi's trap.

"Raiōken!" A rain of ultra-fast punches fell on Tia. Her fists were so fast that she couldn't follow them. She felt her Hierro crack in various places. With one last punch Yoruichi to the gut she sent Tia to the ground. The impact was a sickening loud thud.

Tia shakily got to her feet, but her body was sore and her power was already leaving. She grit her teeth, pushing the pain away, but treacherous doubts started to crawl into her mind.

'She is better than me...' Tia felt her heart sink, as that painful realization dawned on her. 'No wonder Ichigo likes her. In comparison I'm nothing…. I can't beat her.'

'Stop bitching! You still haven't used me!' Ningyo roared in fury.

'What will it change? If I can't unlock you, I will surly be defeated. She's to strong for me.' Tia's morale started to plummet.

'But you DID attain my powers. So stop doubting yourself and use me! Give her everything you've got, and only whine when you lose! Were your pretty words just that, words? Does Ichigo mean so little to you that you wouldn't give your everything for him?!'

'You're... right. I will not give up! Never!' Tia tapped into her Shinigami powers, feeling an incredible surge of power and energy.

"Listen it was a good fight, but why don't we end it here? I don't want to hurt you any more than necessary. Ichigo is gonna be mad enough at us already." Yoruichi told her, insulting Tia's pride even more.

"Not…yet." Tia glared at her with defiance, power filling her, revitalizing her. "I won't give up!" She flared her new Reiatsu. Yoruichi took a defensive stance, but wasn't prepared to what she saw next. "Utau! Ningyo!" Tia's sword started to shine brightly. The structure morphed, creating a completely different weapon.

It was double-blade. One side was similar to Tiburon, only a much slender version. The blade was now about 60 centimeters long and 20 wide, and it was double edged. The other side looked like the blade of her Naginata, with the same proportions as Tiburon. Five circular holes broke the solid blade. The handle was about 40 centimeters long. It was colored white on Tiburon's side, and sea blue on Ningyo's. The colors mixed in the middle creating a variation of the Yin and Yang symbol, only sea blue instead of black.

'That's... unexpected.' Tia stared at the weapon.

'Not really. I already guessed that the weapon would have both of our traits.' Ningyo said.

'Yeah. Since you Resurrect and still have a weapon we just had to mutate it a little.' Tiburon chuckled. 'Now kick her brown ass back to the afterlife!' A smirk played on Tia's lips. She looked at the flabbergasted Yoruichi. The cat lady's jaw was hanging loosely, and her eyes were widened.

"Is that a Zanpakuto?" Yoruichi choked out. Tia simply smiled.

"Possibly…" She began to swirl her blade in a windmill fashion. The blade produced a low whistling sound. "Ningyo no Nageki (Mermaid's Wail)!" A sound wave hit the unsuspecting Yoruichi, sending her flying. She hit a rock formation, actually flying through it. She collided with ground covered in scratches and small wounds.

"Damn." Yoruichi's ears were ringing furiously. "Where'd she keep that hidden?" She looked up and saw a charging Tia. "Don't think that little boost means you've won!" Yoruichi growled, jumping at her. Yoruichi attacked her with a ultra-fast punches again, but to her ire most of them were missing. 'What the hell is going on?'

'Why is she so clumsy now?' Tia wondered the same.

'It's my main ability. The sound I emit disrupts her concentration and balance. It's a good ability, but she'll figure it out any second, so better make the best of it.' Ningyo instructed. Tia attacked Yoruichi with much more vigor. Slashing at her and scoring some hits. Soon Yoruichi was bleeding all over, even if most of the cuts were shallow. Obviously Tia didn't want to cause severe harm to her.

'How the hell is she doing this?' Yoruichi broke away for a second to catch her breath, and heard a low whistle. 'So that's it. What an annoying little trick. Time to get serious then.' Her body started to glow white. Soon a lightning-like energy surrounded her.

Seeing this Tia knew the end of the fight was approaching, and also gathered her energy. Her blade started to glow yellow.

"Let's do this, Sharky!"

"Very well, Cat."

Their Reiatsu soared, creating electrical discharges in the space between them where their auras clashed. It was now or never.

Both women charged at each other with a battle cry. They were so utterly focused on each other that they completely missed the Garganta opening not far from them.

So focused that the sudden spike of another Reiatsu went unnoticed.

The overwhelming fury in it washed over them like water, only a second to late.

"Shunko!"

"Ola Azul!"

Just centimeters from hitting each other, their attacks were disrupted when hands grabbed their wrists. Abyssal energy overwhelmed their own. Consuming theirs and harmlessly dissolving the prepared energy away. Tia and Yoruichi were taken aback by the sudden interference. They both wanted to protest the sudden interruption, but their voices stuck in their throats when they finally felt the overbearing angry power fall over them. That and the black and gold eyes filled with rage between them.

'Oh no.' They thought in unison, feeling the immense pressure increase as the figure straitened up.

* * *

With Ichigo

Time slowed for Ichigo when he saw the two women seemingly about to kill each other. His mask formed unconsciously in response. What mattered to him was arriving to stop them before it's too late.

Just then Ichigo preformed the fasted Sonido he ever managed. In a split second he was through the Garanta exit and on them. He grabbed their arms, and exploded his Reiatsu breaking and dissipating their own attacks. When the imminent danger was out of the way, he took a second to look each woman over; silently. Both beaten and bruised, but nothing life threatening.

With that worry sedated he finally gave in to all the unrelenting rage that he barely held back.

"Are you both of our your fucking minds!?" He all but yelled, making them flinch at his utterly pissed warbled tone. "How could you do something so stupid!?"

"Ichigo we-" Tia tired to speak.

"Shut it!" He interrupted her making her close her mouth so hard her teeth clicked. Ichigo had never spoken to her like this. It hurt her a little, but the fear she felt from his anger overpowered it. "Do you two have any idea how worried I was?! Who started this?"

Tia hung her head.

"It was m-"

"We both did." Yoruichi came to her aid, even if her voice was cracked. "We wanted to... settle something."

Ichigo was utterly confused, and along side anger it made for blinding judgment. He let them go, and took a step back to see both of them. With a shaking hand he tore off his mask, which dusted away in his grip.

"What could possibly make you fight each other that seriously?!" Ichigo exclaimed, throwing up his arms.

Both of them averted their eyes. "Wait a second... This is..." He said slowly, as if not really believing his own voice.

Tia and Yoruichi prayed to whatever deity was listening for Ichigo to not figure out their reason.

"You were fighting over me, weren't you?" Their guilty expressions told him everything. He could not believe that he was right. That these smart women were able to do something so stupid. "I don't know what to say..."

"I know that you're angry-" Yoruichi tried to soothe.

"Angry?" Ichigo interrupted her. "Yoruichi do you have any idea what I felt when I had saw you two at the end of the Garganta?" The Goddess of Flash hung her head in shame. "How could either of you ever think that it would be a good idea to fight over me?"

"We wanted to make it easier for you to decide." Tia mumbled quietly.

"By hurting each other? Do you really think that seeing I care about hurt each other makes it easier for me?" He asked incredulously. "And don't try to deny it. I felt your Reiatsu's, you were serious about it!" He trembled in anger. "Why go to such lengths?! Am I that important that you need to fight over me?"

"Yes." They replied simultaneously, stunning him silent. He turned his gaze to the artificial sky, not sure what to say. He was not ready for this level of drama, nor did he ever want to be.

"Ichigo..." Tia spoke softly. "We're truly sorry for our actions. We didn't consider the impact it might have on you." Yoruichi nodded in agreement, ashamed that this backfired so spectacularly. "But we have to know..."

Ichigo took a deep breath.

"Know what? How I feel about this whole stupid fight over me? How I feel about each of you?" He asked less bite in his voice, but his anger still remained.

"The last one." Yoruichi squeaked out, her eyes darting to and from his own.

"Rukia and Inoue... they're cherished friends, always will be." He as his anger started to slip away. It was finally time to bite that bullet. Stuff like this couldn't continue to happen.

"But you two..." He sighed heavily, closing his eyes. A moment later he opened them to Yoruichi. "Yoruichi, thanks to you I can stand where I am today. Without you I would have died all those months ago. You've helped me out on every step of my Shinigami career. Every time I needed a push you were there for me, and never demanded anything in return. I admire and respect you immensely, Yoruichi."

He turned to Tia. "I never imagined that things would end like this when I found you in the park all those months ago." They shared a small smile. "You're an amazing person Tia. Despite everything that happened in your both your lives you never lost that inner kindness you have towards others. You kept your head high and protected those weaker than you. Both of you have so many admirable qualities I could talk about them all day..."

Taking a deep breath, Ichigo swallows the lump in his throat and swats the butterflies in his stomach. "What I want to say that I love..."

Tia and Yoruichi swallowed nervously too, mentally urging him to finally spit it out.

"Both of you." Ichigo finally admitted. "You both have things I love in and about you. That's why I can't choose only one of you."

Both of them blinked in surprise.

"What?" Yoruichi managed to snap out of her shock first. "What do you mean you can't?"

"Look at what this whole things almost did. You two nearly killed each other over me. I can't have what we have now being ruined by it." He said sadly. "Maybe it's better if we stay like we are right now. I've already hurt Rukia, and I haven't even talked to Inoue yet. I'm sorry, but I love you both too much to hurt either of you by picking the other."

He turned his back to them, scowling as he departing with the intention to visit Inoue.

Tia and Yoruichi were devastated by his admission. He loved them, yet he couldn't be with either without hurting another, and wasn't going to let another incident like this rift them further.

Tia's eyes stung as all the feelings she cultivated for the boy started to rip her heart apart. Yoruichi's shoulders slumped in defeat, and she stumbled numbly to lean on the nearest rock.

"At least we're sharing the misery, eh?" She chuckled bitterly. "Goddammit Ichigo, you goodie two shoes bastard..."

'Share...' Tia looked at the equally dishearten Yoruichi, focusing on the word she said. During their fight Tia realized that Yoruichi's feelings, while not of the same origin as hers, were just as strong. Ichigo said he loved them both. 'Share...' Ichigo was almost out of earshot.

An insane idea sparked, born from heartache and desperation to be with him.

"Ichigo!" Tia called to him. "Come back!"

The teen stopped and turned around. His gloomy disposition noticeable even from where he was at. His brows furrowed in wonder as the Arrancar woman stumbled to catch up to him. Yoruichi watched Tia run toward Ichigo, her own hurt expression morphing into curiosity at her actions.

"Tia I'm sorry, but I've made my choice." He said to the approaching Tia.

"You won't chose either of us to avoid hurting the other?" Ichigo nodded slowly. "But what if you didn't have to chose between us?"

"Eh?" Ichigo's head pulled back a bit at the odd statement. How could that be possible, was Tia grasping at straws? Maybe he was hurting her more than he thought, and she was desperate. Yoruichi's eyes widened at her the insane... genius suggestion. "What do you mean, Tia?"

The blind woman felt her cheeks redden as she glanced back to Yoruichi. She saw her approval for the idea from the hope in her yellow eyes.

"What I mean is... that Yoruichi and I would share you... we'd all be together."

"Eh?" Ichigo could not comprehend what was happening right now. His brain was to the point of frying just trying.

"What she means dummy." Yoruichi appeared next to the teen, and wrapped her arm around his shoulder, pulling him closer. "You'll have two girlfriends instead of one."

Ichigo's mind went blank at that moment. Tia and Yoruichi. Sharing. Same time.

"B-But how are you o-ok with this?" He stammered. "I don't want you to fe-"

"It is better than neither of us with you." Tia interrupted him. "But to make this work Yoruichi and I must speak."

The cat lady nodded, and the two ladies made some distance from the stunned guy.

'This isn't real?' Ichigo thought numbly.

'No. YES! Soon our most perverted dreams will come true!' Hichigo exclaimed, defensively excited. 'Can you imagine? Both of them on their knees ready to serve us?'

Ichigo turned beet red. His inner musings were luckily interrupted by a burst of Yoruichi's laughter. Both women made their way back to him, and Yoruichi had a shit-eating grin plastered on her face.

"Ok. We've decided on how to divide you between the two of us." She grabbed the back of his head, and pulled him into a deep kiss. After a few seconds she broke the kiss, smirking devilishly. Yet before Ichigo could to say anything his face was pulled to the side, and his lips captured by Tia.

"I'm hallucinating aren't I? This is all just a dream." Ichigo managed to utter with a blush looking between his self appointed girlfriends.

"Oh your dream is just to starting." Yoruichi giggled.

* * *

Later, Inoue's Flat

The orange haired girl was humming a lovely tune. She was cooking some of her 'delicious food', when she heard knocking at her door.

'Wonder who is it?' She walked to the door and opened it. revealing Ichigo. Her heart skipped a beat.

"Kurosaki-kun, what are you doing here?"

"Can I come in?" He asked a bit sullen.

"Y-Yes of course." She stuttered, stepping to the side to let him in. They both headed to the living room, and sat on the sofa.

"So Ichigo-kun what's brings you here?" She asked hope filling her eye's. Ichigo sighed inside, he was about to break his second heart today.

"Inoue... I wanted to talk with you about your confession." Her face suddenly grew hesitant. She knew that tone in his voice. It never meant good news. "Inoue I'm afraid…" She stopped him by pressing a hand to his mouth, tears sliding down her cheeks.

"I understand Kurosaki-kun… I.." She stared to sob, and he hugged her.

"I'm so sorry, Inoue. I really am." He whispered. "I don't love you the way you would like me to…"

"Then how do you love me?" She managed through her cracking voice.

"Like a sister… you're like family to me Inoue. If you ever need me, regardless of situation I'll be there for you. But…" He paused.

'So she won…' Inoue thought bitterly, but deep inside she knew that she had lost a long time ago.

"And what about, Yoruichi-san?" She asked. Ichigo now felt like a complete hypocrite.

"She and Tia agreed on sharing me." Inoue's eyes widen to comical proportions.

"But… but I could..." He shook his head.

"You know Rukia confessed to me too." Orihime gasped. The raven haired girl said nothing about it.

"I said no to her for the same reason as you. It would hurt you more if I accepted you out of friendship, but never loved you the way I should. Inoue you're a wonderful girl, and I know it's painful, but I can't be with you when I don't feel the same way. I wanted to be honest with you…" She started to sob again. It took some time but she eventually calmed down.

"Kurosaki-kun…it hurts... but thank you for telling me all of that. I'm sorry for the problem." He rested a hand on her shoulder.

"You'll never be a problem, Inoue. If you ever need something just call and I will come." He stood to leave.

"I know Kurosaki-kun…see you at school." He didn't miss the quiet sobs coming from behind the door he just closed. He felt like a total jackass. While he was incredibly happy that the two women he loved found a solution, he just left Inoue there alone. She had no one except from family that lived far away.

He texted Tatsuki with a simple message that Inoue needed her, and left. He would take his beating Monday.

* * *

A/N

Annnnnnnnnnd I made it! Still had it in me to deliver a chapter during Christmas!

What can I say with another year passing, and my story still being far from done? Well... I intend to finish it no matter how long it takes!

So Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all!

Don't forget to post Christmas review! ;)


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